Life is Hard, But So is My Dick
by Chaeungyeol
Summary: 'You'll have to go as a girl,' was the final conclusion. 'It is possible that I can change the scholarship you've gotten and adjust it to the female section, but you know what it'll entail.' Eren had been speechless. Mikasa had been furious, and Armin had given Eren a more than emphatic look. Highschool!AU
1. Prelude

Kindly settle the reading format as 1/2 for a better reading experience.

Notes: Highschool AU, cossdressing, comedy, tall Levi, reversed roles.

Inspired by the drama 'To the Beautiful You'.

* * *

><p>''You must be Erin and Mikasa, right?'' A well-dressed man comes forth and extends his hand to greet the two girls.<p>

The onyx haired girl, Mikasa, deftly accepts the greeting and smiles kindly. The brunette, on the other hand, looks nervously around and ends the handshake as quickly as it starts.

''Nervous, are we?'' the man says conversationally, and he is the principal of the boarding school. He bows neatly for the newcomers as another woman emerges from the teachers´ lounge, greeting the students too.

The woman is one of the teachers here, introducing herself as Mina. She pushes some bangs behind her ear and smiles warmly at them, telling them that she will lead them to their dorm.

Mikasa answers with a voiced reply, and Erin clears her throat and nods somewhat hectically – looking jittery for wear.

The two students have just arrived at the boarding school in order to settle down.

Returning to the school, it is said to be one of the most prestigious ones around the state. It is considered a sports high school of a unique kind, whereas only wealthy or fit people are allowed to attend – or have the chance to. It was founded only a few years ago, but a few who attended in the past have already made their names apparent here and there or managed a knack of fame.

It is known for the beautiful structure it has, as well as the excessive training regiments given and the high quality class lessoning.

Maria High, it is called. The school for rich kids and spectacular individuals, although those of wealth rule the crowd and fills the empty space mostly.

Mikasa and Erin are not exactly wealthy per say, but acquired a scholarship last year that have made them honored students. They have worked their asses off in order to achieve it, and the final reward is told to be worth it. Now, the only problem is that Mikasa got hers in the female section. Erin got hers in the male.

Truth be told, Erin's real name is Eren, and she is actually a **he**.

The school they attended before handed them the scholarships and left them with it, and to Eren's horror, all of the possible male memberships were already **taken**, whereas there was still a lot left in the female section.

They only noticed it a few weeks before the school year officially was to begin. The former school had no words to contribute to it. It was irresponsible of the management to leave it like that, but there was nothing they could do to amend it, they said.

Horribly so, Eren is the one who has dreamt of attending Maria High for years – ever since the foundation of the school was published and announced. Nevertheless, Eren had found that he was incapable of joining in year 2015/16, because he was simply not allowed, given the lack of memberships available, even though one must think that an honor scholarship meant that one was already booked. The scholarship was then not worth a penny or dust.

Armin, his other best friend, had found a solution to it though. He is a smart cookie – perhaps the worst of the kind, because he knew and knows how to manipulate information - knows the ways of the system.

After a long time of pondering, ''You'll have to go as a girl'' was the final conclusion. ''It is possible that I can change the scholarship you've gotten and adjust it to the female section, but you'll have to go there as a girl.''

Eren had been speechless. Mikasa had been furious, and Armin had given Eren a more than emphatic look.

''There is a lot of information I have to put askew and trick, but it might just be possible.''

There had only been one hindering left then.

''Will you do it?''

* * *

><p>Now Eren is here, with Mikasa by his side. Armin came to the school a week before them and has already settled down in the boys´ dorm. He has obtained a scholarship too, but he got it a year before Eren did and was smart enough to check the details in good time and book a membership.<p>

The amount of students here is limited, and considering the size of the school, 167 is not a big number.

Despite the tight jeans Eren is wearing – despite the plush pads pressing against his chest on front and the mascara on his eyelashes, he can feel excitement blunder under his skin.

Luckily, Mikasa and Eren are to share a room, so there is no trouble in that matter. None of them is used to the luxury put on display, though. The hall in block A, where they are to live, is lighted in pink by neon lamps. The corridor is valley shaped and long. They have only been here for about ten minutes, but Eren has already hissed **'Rich people'** under his breath at least two times by now.

Room 41 is theirs. Mina laughs when she sees the excitement on their faces when she opens the door and bids them inside. It is already filled to the brim with accessories among other stuff, designer furniture and neat colors. It may even be bigger than an ordinary apartment - and has a bathroom.

''I want the top bunk,'' is the first thing Eren says when they come in, lowering the volume in his voice in the middle for it to sound shy. His actions are contrary to the tone he used, because he is quick to scramble away from his bags and up the ladder to look at his newfound home. The top bunk is not just a bed, but is a small floor of a kind like a balcony; except there is a closet meant for wardrobe, a desk and a bed up there.

Mina quickly explains them some relevant things about the school before darting off.

When Mikasa turns around to arch a brow at Eren, Eren is perceiving a unicorn teddy closely. ''I swear to god…, they must bathe in money,'' he says, and there is a hint of disgust in his voice. ''Probably wipe their asses with dollars too,'' he adds and sighs heavily, plopping down onto the bed. He would have been more excited if it was not for the fact that he is wearing girls' clothes and has to speak quietly on purpose, cross his legs and sway his hips. He has had two weeks of preparation before encountering the actual difficulty.

Nothing really prepares him for what is to come, though.

''Don't be a crybaby,'' Mikasa says, but her tone is warm and she looks at Eren fondly. ''I'm here to help you, remember? Armin too.''

It does sound convincing, but Eren grumbles anyway. He only looks forward to get out there and play soccer- to exert a new training regimen.

* * *

><p>Eren inspects the bathroom afterwards.<p>

He looks himself in the mirror, tonguing the inside of his cheek in consider as he turns around and watches himself from varied angles.

Armin was originally smaller than Eren. People had always thought that given Eren's temper and the stubborn demeanor he shew, he would have grown to become tall and muscular. That is not likely the case, though.

Eren is fast. His strength lies in his agility. He is good at soccer, at running and attending marathons - has a good kick. However, he is not decidedly brawny or tall for that matter – being 170 cm tall. He is not muscular or lanky either. He does not have broad shoulders or prominent cheekbones, but instead slender eyelashes, big almond shaped eyes and tan but dainty skin. Dressing up as a girl should not prove being not as difficult as he had thought it was ought to be.

In fact, Armin, who through puberty has grown about 182 cm tall and well endowed, had looked at Eren after the first beauty session and said: ''you sure you weren't meant to be a girl?''

Of course, it had earned him a pillow to the face and a mourning Eren, but he was not wrong.

Sure, Eren has some more sturdy frames than the average girl does, but he does at the same time look petite – and has exotic features that so far has other girls looking at him with squinted eyes. Maybe it is just his imagination, but he also saw some boys sending him lingering looks too.

Eren's voice is boyish but light, and with enough concentration, he can sound like a girl. It aggravates him that he is good at filling the role out, because he had somehow hoped that it would be more of a challenge. The only thing that is of concern now is not getting busted – as in for him to adapt swiftly and not let his guard down.

This might be the craziest thing he has ever done, but he is not intending to give up on his dream of living here anytime soon. He knows he has to fix his attitude and sit a little more daintily than before, and that there is a thing called 'act like a lady'. But he will not give in.

'Think like a lady, act like a lady' has become his favored quote that he has chanted the last couple of weeks like a lunatic. It is embarrassing and takes a blow to his ego, but there are other matters at stake. His pride is one.

He can go for the tomboyish looks too, but that would perhaps make his biological gender obvious. He cannot take such risks.

Furthermore, he lives with the constant fear that someone will find out one way or another. When he stood in front of the principal earlier, he had nearly been sweating bullets.

Mikasa stands in the doorframe. She is wearing a tank top and her arms are flexing already when she crosses them. She is by far more muscular than Eren, but she also has some very prominent curves and a beautiful face too. She is the one who helps Eren with his makeup; despite she is not that interested in cosmetics or beauty in general. ''Let the hardcore tomboy lesbian help you,'' was what she had said two weeks ago, not even questioning whether the situation itself was sane or not.

''Mikasa…,'' Eren runs a hand through his hair. He is at least content with the fact that he does not need to wear a wig, since he a year and a half ago decided to grow his hair out and get long bangs like those famous soccer players. His hair is of a dark brown color and almost reaches his shoulders by now. Armin likes to think that Eren looks like the brunette version of Link.

''If I don't make it out alive, please save my porn stash. They were so expensive,'' he says, and he does not even care about anything anymore, tracing a finger along the huge bowl of the sink as he stares into the drain.

Mikasa rolls her eyes. ''You don't even use half of that stash anyway. If I should save one it would be the gay magazine hidden in your closet.''

**''Mikasa!''**


	2. That's the spirit

Eren spends the first couple of days inside his room. The school year will officially begin in just a days' time, and he barely knows where the toilets are located around the buildings.

So far, the building structure of the school can only be described as fancy. There are vibrant colors everywhere, along with designer furniture and electronic luxuries, and outside, there are two soccer fields, one of them framed with grandstands in wood. They have a swimming hall and a training center among other things. Eren can barely believe his eyes or contain his excitement the first time he wanders around and gets a glimpse of all the things the school has to offer. It is surreal – like a dream come true, and he stubbornly thinks that there is no way he could ever give up on this.

The only thing that mocks him is how surrealistic all of this is, because the school is like a mansion itself to him – as if carved from a movie and not reality. On the other hand, most of the people attending the school are rich kids themselves. Being a rich kid apparently benefits beauty, Eren means – given that they probably have the money and time for beauty and training sessions, and Eren can only gape in secretive at some of the girls that sometimes pass by.

There is also the fact that he still has an attitude to fix. He has spent the days in isolation to read books about female behavior in general, reading gossip magazines, watching makeup videos on YouTube. He has never felt more flamboyant before than right now. Back in time, he was that kind of individual who thought lipstick was edible and makeup remover would permanently burn acid into his eyes.

He loves video games, tumbling around and especially playing handball and football – in general everything that contains physical activities. He is seventeen now and he had thought he would be dressing himself in stylish shirts, sweaters and those beanies that girls seem to like on guys.

Nevertheless, it turns out he has to spend the mornings trying his best not to stick a mascara pen into his eyes, to brush his hair and afterwards use some volume for it (specially recommended by Mikasa), and subsequently squeeze into some skinny pants, countless accessories, a bra with specially implemented pushup and a tight frilly shirt. Armin had come in before he was to depart to hand Eren a subtle corset he could use to make it look like he had firmer curves, but Eren has not used it.

Yet.

When Eren treads outside he uses hoodies or anything to hide his face. That cannot go on though, because the students are ought to wear uniforms, and Eren spends half of the time sending the uniform sour glances. It consists of a blazer, a shirt, long socks, a ribbon and a skirt. The shirt and socks are white, while the blazer is of a dark blue color and the skirt is cream colored, and the ribbon is black.

They are only ought to wear the uniform until classes are over though, and for the rest of the day during activities and free time, they can wear whatever they please.

Eren sits back in his bed and rethinks his whole life for a minute or two. He spends another five minutes blessing the fact that he shares a room with Mikasa, and that she is used to his awkward morning boners, impulsiveness and vivid temper.

Tonight, a soccer activity is held where participants can play one match, regardless of gender and everything. This mere fact is what keeps Eren cheery today as he changes into his sport clothes, humming a tune under his breath. Mikasa comes back from another activity and closes the door after her, arching a brow at Eren.

''Going to soccer in five minutes,'' he says, biting his lower lip to contain his excitement. Mikasa gives him considering look. ''I'll go with you,'' she says, even though she has just been out swimming.

''Wait, why?'' Eren gets his head stuck in the loop of the shirt.

''Just to make sure you'll do fine,'' she says, but Eren knows it is another way to say: 'to make sure you don't fuck up like you always do.'

Before heading out, Eren stands in front of the mirror in the bathroom. He sighs deeply and his eyebrows do a nervous tick. ''You're a strong, independent… **woman**.'' He tells himself, looking directly into his own eyes. ''And you'll mow them down.''

''That's the spirit,'' he hears Mikasa say from the other room.

When they arrive, Eren is surprised by how many students have showed up – both girls and boys. The girls are surprisingly welcoming towards them, saving a spot when they come closer, as if it is some girl codex to have each other's backs in the wild challenge of having a place to be. Then Eren remembers that Mikasa has been far more social than he has, so she has probably already made some friends.

A blonde girl with fair skin and blue eyes asks softly why they have changed in their dorms and not in the changing rooms, since they can get a personal locker. Eren contemplates what to say for a second. He thinks of a valid point. He thinks of girls being self-conscious about their own bodies, so he says ''it's because my tits look weird-'', but is cut off when Mikasa pinches him in the side and gives him the look.

''Erin has some insecurities about her body, so she wanted to change in the dorms and I did it with her.''

Eren sniffs solemnly. You could phrase it like that too, sure.

Mina, who apparently is a sports teacher too, smiles at the students at makes them form a circle around her. She introduces the sport shortly, and then squints her eyes. She makes a counting motion with her hand and glances around – a perplexed expression appearing on her face. ''I think we have to split you up in four teams,'' she says. ''Want it to be bland or decided by gender?'' she asks, and Eren is about to yell that it should be bland, because he wants to play with the boys. The girls beside him, however, roar louder than the other students with a ''decided by gender!'' that has Eren hunching his head back, creating a fake double chin in surprise.

In the end, they are split into girls-girls and boys-boys. Eren murmurs curse words equivalent to a hundred rap songs and stands in the corner, not wanting to interfere at first. He forgets his stubbornness though the moment the flute sounds in the distance, deftly moving his feet to get the ball first.

The girls on his team cheer when he takes the lead and surprises the counterpart with his speed, scoring he first goal within none less than three minutes. He thinks this is going to be easy, but those thoughts do not last for long.

It only takes ten minutes more until he finds himself lying on the ground, rasping after air. Someone elbowed him in the stomach, and he suddenly does not want to get up again, taking in the ferocious expressions on the other team. ''Girls are fucking crazy,'' he moans when Mikasa comes over and helps him up. ''Told you,'' she says and runs a hand through his hair, patting him encouragingly on the butt before continuing.

Eren may or may not have underestimated girls when it comes to sports – or at least the students here, because these girls fight as if they want to devour the skin and bones of their enemies. It is already violent with boys - but when it comes to boys, there is body slamming and lots of yelling. Here, there are dirty tricks, elbows to the stomach, pinching in the sides and mean glares that can traumatize Eren for life. He yells at one point to cheer on some of his players, and they look at him in surprise because his voice has been lowered to the point it sounds husky, and Mikasa is trying to fight back a grin.

He saves it by giggling, making a flappy motion with his hand as he makes a shy expression. ''Fight… girls…,'' he singsongs lightly, stretching the corners of his mouth in a smile that has his eyes crinkling.

In the end, he goes to bed with limbs that ache all over. ''I don't think I'm going to survive this year,'' he says to the air when he plops down on his bed with a heavy sigh. Mikasa is training underneath him, using the railing of the balcony to lift her own body weight. ''I think you did fine today, though,'' she says, a little out of breath. ''You just… have to be a little more cautious of your word usage and… voice,'' and she clearly tries to tell it as nicely as possible that he has been acting like a cave man in the vessel of a petite girl.

''I'm trying,'' he moans into his hands and palms his own face, dragging his fingers down his cheeks.

* * *

><p>The uniform does not look bad on him, at least. In fact, Mikasa, who otherwise has the body type some people can only dream of, gives him a skewed smile that she only portrays when there is someone she really wants to bang. ''If you were a girl and not considered my sibling, I'd totally do you,'' she says.<p>

''Thanks man,'' Eren says.

He is wearing the corset today too, and it actually looks like he has something reminding of a waistline. It is incredibly uncomfortable though, but he can deal with it. For now, at least.

The lightness of the skirt is unsettling though. ''It's so… airy…,'' he says and twirls around, almost revealing his boxer shorts in the process. ''What do I do with my dick,'' are the next words. Mikasa looks concerned.

''Maybe we should tape it in,'' she suggests.

Eren latches an affronted hand onto his chest and gives her a glare that must have originated from Mean Girls.

''Maybe not, then,'' she then says.

She fixes the buttons on Eren's blazer. ''I don't think you should be wearing boxer shorts though.''

''But you're wearing boxer shorts…''

''I'd like to see you in panties,'' she then says – the real culprit.

''I hate you.''

''I have some in my luggage, actually.''

''What if I… what if… I see something…''

''See something?''

Eren fidgets a bit. ''What if my… you know…. 'boy' gets a little excited.''

Mikasa looks like she forgot for a second that Eren is actually a member of the male gender.

''Retreat,'' she says and comes back with a pair of panties. ''Don't be a pussy,'' she says, and the fact that it comes from her mouth makes Eren realize he really has to gather himself.

''There is no space for my dick in that!'' Eren backs away, covering himself.

''Don't knock it till you try it.''

''Mikasa – you're **not** getting me into that.''

* * *

><p>''I hate you so much.''<p>

Mikasa looks pleased with herself, although it is hard to see for her stony façade.

''I really, really hate you,'' Eren continues, expression sour - his junk packed in a pair of striped lily panties.

They are walking in the corridors now, about to head to the cafeteria for breakfast. Eren can feel his knees buckle underneath him for each step he takes, hands shaking and eyes darting around. ''They know,'' he says with horror in his voice, clinging close to Mikasa.

Mikasa can understand his nervousness though, and she gives his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. ''Armin and I got your back, okay? No one is going to come near you – nobody knows anything.''

''What if the wind comes on a little too strong?''

''It won't be.''

''But what if?''

''It won't.''

''If they find out, will they dismember me?''

''Probably.''

Eren nearly slips, but Mikasa holds him close. ''Eren, calm down. Nothing is going to happen. You're pretty, okay? Nobody thinks you're… not a girl.''

Eren moans in agony. ''I'm not concerned whether I'm pretty or not, I just don't want to be burned on a bonfire once they find out.''

Today is the first day of school. Before going to class, all students are to meet up in the cafeteria.

When the duo comes in, everything is relatively normal. The students are not used to the time routines, but knows the drill of how breakfast goes.

So far, it is going good, and Eren sits down with Armin, Mikasa and a boy named Connie after they have gotten their trays of food.

''I'm just going to go get some salt,'' Eren absently says and raises himself. He makes sure to flatten his skirt before going and his walking is a little strange, but nonetheless he wears the feminine look well.

As he walks, he accidentally gets eye contact with a student that is going in the opposite direction, few meters away from him. His hair is two-colored, and he is not ugly but not overly handsome either. The smirk on his face is unsettling though. Eren pays it not much mind though and reaches for the salt on the counter, but just when he grabs it, he feels a pressure underneath his skirt – on his skirt. Someone palms his left buttock, and the surprise makes him knock the salt over.

He hears a light snort as the guy from before passes him.

It takes Eren less than a second to whirl around as he yells an abrupt ''did you just smack my ass?''

The guy starts in his steps and looks over his shoulder, a little surprised to be encountered. The smirk stays there nonetheless. ''Maybe,'' he says, and it is mischievous. ''What're you gonna do about it?''

The corners of Eren's mouth does a tick upwards in a pull of nerves. ''So you want a piece of this?'' he asks, and the person looks befuddled. ''What?''

Eren bunches up in the sleeves of his blazer, and he is smiling now, but the smile is not warm or pleasant. ''You're saying you want a piece of this, am I right?'' he repeats, and he closes in on the guy and gives the guy a shove with a force he had probably not expected come from the brunette. The guy staggers back and gives him an incredulous look. ''What the-''

''Dude, I'll give you the **whole package**!'' Eren raises his fists and just as he lounges in to land a punch, he feels someone pull him back. To Eren's surprise, it is some tall guy that has an arm wrapped around his wrist, making him incapable of aiming his fist.

He does not say anything, and Eren cannot see his face from this angle, but apparently the other guy can, because he scrambles back and makes a gargled noise. ''Fuck- I didn't know she was your chick,'' he says, and some freckled guy comes up behind him. ''Jean, I told you…, you shouldn't…-'' he says and tugs in Jean's wrist.

The commotion attracts the attention of the students in the cafeteria, but everyone quickly looks away when a teacher meddles and breaks it up. Eren barely gets to see the face of the guy from before, and only sees his broad shoulders when he turns around and walks back to where he came from.

Mikasa walks up to Eren, but her eyes stay on Jean, and she looks like she is ready to slaughter a household. ''I'll teach him a lesson,'' she mumbles under her breath, and her gaze is unfathomable – exactly the look she had that time in seventh grade where she broke the arm of a boy that tried to kiss Armin because he thought Armin was a girl.

''No, no- it's fine,'' Eren says, because his thoughts are barely with the Jean guy now, but more likely settled on the guy from before.

Mikasa looks at him again now that she is back to state one. Eren flinches. ''Yeah okay- I shouldn't have- yeah,'' he says, and he sighs because wow, he is so bad at this girl thing – and has always been bad at staying out of trouble.

''Next time let me take care of him then,'' she says.

''Yeah, all right.''

So far, the school year seems promising.


	3. Teen Funeral

Thank you for the great response!

* * *

><p>Eren makes it through the first couple of schooldays without any trouble, putting aside his temperamental behavior and varied outbursts. He has not seen Mr. Mysterious guy after the incident in the cafeteria, and it befuddles him. After a while, he leaves the thoughts be, because he already has enough on his platter to deal with.<p>

On the other hand, getting friends turns out being easier than he had thought, and some of the girls seem drawn to Eren's peculiar behavior. He firstly befriends two girls named Ymir and Historia, who he had met during the soccer activity.

Ymir is obnoxious and makes many lewd comments, but does have a caring side she sometimes put on display – and, to Eren's luck, shares some of his boyish humor. Historia, on the other hand, is far from as fragile as she looks, and she is usually the one who puts Ymir in place. She is kindhearted but can also get snappy once feeling comfortable, and sometimes sports a mischievous grin when Ymir makes a joke.

With them, the people Bertholdt, Reiner and Annie follow along, and thirdly, Eren meets a boy named Connie and a girl named Sasha who forms a strange duo of a sort. They are all different individuals, but he finds that they can be friends anyway, despite that he talks better with some of them and less with others.

Annie, for an instance, is a hard nut to crack. She seems like a lone wolf, but is always there anyway – and despite not seeming up for talks, she occasionally helps Eren with math problems or other things. Reiner seems like a good guy once looking past his occasionally nonchalant attitude, and Bertholt is kind but often very jittery.

Eren feels content for now, saving the fact that ever so often a heavy feeling of guilt cradles his stomach and makes him angry with himself, given that he is portraying himself to be a gender he is not. He can deal with it for now though, and he told himself from the very beginning that he is not going to give up, and that he will get the best out of the year – whether it means he has to dress up as a girl or not.

* * *

><p>It turns out that Eren does not have to wonder about Mr. Mysterious guy for very long, though.<p>

Days later as he proceeds to enter the literature classroom, he immediately spots the person – remembering how his broad shoulders had looked like back in the cafeteria. Mikasa is in another class for now since they do not have a permanent class, but changes classroom depending on what lecture they have chosen to be taught in.

So now, Eren is alone, finding a spot in the other end of the classroom in the corner, not wanting further complications to occur. He gazes at the dark-haired guy from the corner of his eyes for a while, and when he sees a glimpse of his face, he feels his mouth fall agape in astonishment.

The person is no ordinary guy, to say the least. Eren is very immersed in sports culture and championship, and there is no way he refrains from recognizing the guy. His name is Levi Ackerman, and he is a soccer player who holds the best record in the World Junior Championship. The latter injured himself during training just a few months after the success though, and is told to be on a temporary hiatus for the time being. Eren finally understands why people had been talking about some important athlete attending the school, but he had never really listened. It all makes sense now.

Eren vividly remembers how he had been watching the championship with eager eyes when Levi had succeeded and scored goals. He had sat on the edge of his stool, as he is doing now. To say that he admires Levi is a word that will only belittle the truth. However, to believe that the athlete has chosen to settle down here in Maria high is not a surprise either, given the reputation the boarding school has. Eren has already met other familiar faces here that are known for either their parents´ success or what they have molded themselves.

This exceeds everything, though.

He finds himself nearly vibrating on his seat, wanting to get closer to the athlete. He wonders why Levi had stopped him from punching Jean, but he should probably thank him one way or another.

Problem is that they are sitting in different ends of the class. Eren is in the back row, while Levi is in the front. The situation itself has barely seeped in yet, and Eren cannot believe he is inhaling the same oxygen as one of the athletes he has dreamt of meeting for a long time.

A mantra consisting of the words 'It's him, it's him!' spins in Eren's head during most of the class, and he is mere seconds away from jumping up his seat to get to thank Levi for whatever he can thank him for.

When the bell rings, he does it. He gathers all sort of courage he can muster, and as Levi is packing his stuff, Eren comes over and gently tugs in his blazer.

Levi turns around with an indifferent expression on his face, arching an eyebrow at him. ''Yes?'' he says, sounding stiff – perhaps a little annoyed. It takes Eren a little aback as he stands there, with his inner fanboy awakened, and wants to thank Levi for being 'as awesome as he is' in the world of Eren.

''Thank you-'' Eren mutters out, and he realizes he is twiddling the fabric of his skirt nervously between his fingers – looking like a jittery high school girl.

Levi gives him a blank stare. ''For what?''

''For- you know- uh- stopping me back then in the cafeteria.''

Levi purses his lips. ''Are you stupid?''

Eren furrows his brows and looks up again, shortly dumfounded. ''What?''

The taller finishes packing his bag and swings it over his shoulder. ''Me stopping you from getting yourself sent to the principal is not something you should thank me for. I only did it because you do, apparently, not have the fucking brain not to get yourself in balls-deep shit the first fucking day of school.''

Eren takes a moment to process the words, staring wide-eyed at Levi, face turning blank.

And he stays like that, completely dumbfounded as Levi turns around and leaves the class. Eren sees some of the people surrounding Levi give him a quick glance, some smiling and others looking sorry.

Eren continues to just stand there, grip on his skirt tightening. Okay then, he thinks. **Okay then.**

* * *

><p><strong>''I swear to god I'll stick my dick in his mouth and watch him choke-'' <strong>Eren is rambling, eyes furious as the librarian who gives him a mortified glare shushes him. Ymir is sitting next to him, laughing louder than Eren's yelling, and gets told off too. Mikasa sits on the other side of the table, immersed with a book, unaffected. Ymir makes about ten dick jokes a day and claims to have one herself, so therefore none of them is phased by Eren's choice of words. Eren is happy he lives in a century where girls can phrase such words.

Historia, who actually is an aspiring author going by the penname Krista, hums along with it on the other side next to Mikasa. She is a little shy and only speaks when found necessary, but she bids in with a: ''let Ymir take care of that.''

''He'd choke on my big cock, that's for sure,'' Ymir drawls, slanted eyes looking smug as she fiddles with a page of a book, not really reading. Eren high-fives her.

Mikasa gives Eren a somewhat concerned look once looking up from her book. ''I told you back then that Levi is not the kind-hearted type. Even when we sat in front of the television and saw his interviews, he didn't seem too cooperative, but rather disinterested.''

''You knew he was here from the beginning?'' Eren asks instead.

''Yeah I did. Didn't tell you because you'd only have reality come crashing down in your face,'' she answers, and she does look a little sorry – well known for her protective tendencies. She has grown accustomed to Eren making starry eyes at the athlete. ''Never liked that guy,'' she mutters, perhaps a little bitterly, and Eren does understand her now.

''Well yeah, found out he's a complete dick,'' Eren grumbles, and he fidgets with his half-long hair and twirls it around a finger, disinterested in studying. He feels thoroughly embarrassed for what happened earlier, and only wants to curl into himself thinking of what would have happened if he had told Levi how much he admires him. He is not sure what to feel now, though. It is disappointing, sure, but he still admires Levi, for god knows what reason.

Despite Levi being capable of making a sailor blush with his cussing, he is immensely popular around the states. One thing is that he is talented, but another is his handsome looks – despite always looking like he has downed ten pots of coffee and two painkillers. Eren guesses it must be his sharp looks, his well-proportioned body and the bedroom eyes that have the girls whining. He relents from stating how he has been swooning just the slightest because of the exact same reasons.

Levi has just always seemed mysterious and unapproachable, which classifies him in the popular category type 2 – the one where the individual seems abrasive and mysterious and has good looks – and is known for that mostly and only, along with ones talent.

Eren thinks it is a power of another kind – to make girls swoon simply by being the new Mr. Mystery, with a teensy bit of a dirt bag added to the personality traits.

''Maybe he's a vampire,'' Eren absentmindedly offers, tonguing the inside of his cheek.

''Thinking of Edward Cullen?'' Ymir asks, leering.

''No…,'' Eren exaggeratedly clears his throat and covers the blush on his cheeks by looking the other way.

* * *

><p>It does not make it any better that ever since the occurrence in the classroom, it seems that Eren notices Levi whenever they are in the same room. It haunts him how much he is aware of Levi's presence. If Levi as much as breathes the same air as Eren, Eren constantly just knows, and cannot take his eyes off him whenever he spots him somewhere. It feels like he sees him everywhere, no matter how much he tries to escape him.<p>

''Armin, I think I'm going crazy,'' Eren says one day during lunch, fork twisted in a bundle of spaghetti as he plays with the food absentmindedly. It has been more than a week since the encounter, and he still cannot get over it. Armin wriggles his nose and gives Eren a considering look. ''I don't think it's unusual though,'' he says, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. ''Finding out ones idol is… not who they thought they were, can be an impactful experience.''

Eren grants him a pout, still flattening wrinkles on his skirt that are not there. He wears boxers more often now, but every now and then Mikasa forces him into a pair of overly cute panties. At last, Eren has already reached there point where he cannot even be bothered.

He has already gotten the hang of the schedules, as well as found a way to avoid the changing rooms or any situation where he will have to undress himself in front of others.

''I'm just excited for when the soccer activities officially are to begin,'' he mutters, sloshing the fork around on his plate. Armin smiles at him and chuckles. ''Haven't lost your fire, have you?'' he asks playfully, knowing just how to get Eren in the right mood. ''No way,'' Eren is quick to respond, straightening his back.

''Trust me, I'll make Levi wish he never let me down,'' he grumbles, a unfathomable look apparent in his eyes.

''That's… uh, not what I meant, though…,'' the other bids in, mildly concerned.

''Never mind,'' Eren wafts a hand at him. ''I'll be fine.''

Eren sways his legs under the table. ''I'm getting a hang of the girl thing now, you know,'' he says somehow proudly.

''Yeah, you are. Nevertheless, you should still close your legs considering you're wearing a very short skirt and, as far as I can see, striped panties.''

''Armin!''

* * *

><p>It happens that they have to do group work too.<p>

It also happens that he is settled in the same group as Levi, Jean and Armin are, as they are ought to analyse an old time riddle.

For some reason, Jean still looks like he is a little afraid of Levi, despite Levi not really having done anything to him. Not that Eren would meddle with someone whose eyes portray caution itself either.

Levi altogether looks disinterested, eyes lounging on the papers the group has been granted.

Things between Eren and Jean are already a tad awkward, and Armin, who is not caught up in the spitfire, looks a little uncomfortable and confused.

''Why am I the only girl in the group?'' Eren asks the teacher, voice a little shy because he may or may not be genuinely scared of Levi now. He feels a glare burn into his back and settles to give in when the teacher merely shrugs.

Armin gives Eren a reassuring smile and takes his hand in his, and between them it is a gesture they have always done since they were kids – because holding hands meant a lot to them back then.

On the other hand, Jean looks at them incredulously and apparently chokes on air, attracting their attention.

''Wait, I thought you were Levi's chick?'' he asks, and if possible, Eren's jaw would hit the floor now.

''Fuck no, I'm not gay!'' He spits back in the heat of the moment, simply on impulse, and the silence that follows is unsettling.

Armin looks like he has seen a ghost, while Jean looks at him as if not knowing what to say. Eren barely dares to know what Levi's face is telling.

The realization of what he has just said catches up on him. His hands suddenly feel clammy, and he stares at Jean as if he is just as surprised.

''I mean-'' he clears his throat and grits his teeth.

''- I don't date guys with vaginas.''

He faintly thinks he hears something reminding of church bells ringing in the distance, announcing his upcoming funeral.

None of them says anything for a while. Jean's mouth is shaped in an o, half-smiling, as if contemplating whether he should praise Eren for the sickest burn in history, or considering what flowers he should have on his deathbed.

Armin is horror-stricken.

Eren squares his shoulders and crosses his arms, smiling widely – but not in joy. Behind the façade, he is all but smiling at the situation itself – at him for being so stupid, at the image of him being pummeled to death, at the possible headlines on newspapers telling that Levi Ackerman has been found guilty in homicide.

Therefore, he raises himself and says he has some errands to run – in the middle of lecturing, of course, and promptly turns around to leave. He tries not to let his knees buckle on the way, and hopes that none of them notices how he stubs his toe against one of the tables. He feels eyes bore into his back and thinks he might just curl into himself and die on the ground.

When he rounds the corner, he runs.

He runs as if he has got the devil stalking his feet, or as if Levi is going to appear from the next corner and charge him down like a bull.

He only stops when he has reached his own dorm and barges the door open, inhaling and exhaling madly, rasping for air. Turning around, he promptly walks into Mikasa and proceeds getting a shock that has him screaming aloud.

''Eren, calm down,'' Mikasa is calm as she grabs his biceps and keeps him steady. She does not have class yet until the next lecture, and is readying herself for swimming.

''Levi- vagina-'' the other slurs, barely able to stand straight.

''Vagina?'' she repeats, quizzical.

''He has- vagina-''

''he has a vagina?''

''Yes- **no!**''

''Then what?''

''I think I'm going to die-''

''Eren, calm down. What's going on?''

''I said- I said Levi has a vagina-'' Eren is holding on to Mikasa, and he wants to laugh at the whole situation, laugh at himself and at the whole world.

''So he has a vagina?''

''No- I- Jean he- he said-'' he groans and runs his hands down his face. ''He's gonna kill me, Mikasa. I'm dead meat.''

At last, Eren actually manages to comprehend a reasonable sentence, and when the conclusion arrives, Mikasa is laughing aloud.

She wipes a tear at the corner of her eye. ''Ouch, that's one for the ego.''

''It's not funny! If you find my body in a dumpster by the end of the week, you won't be laughing,'' he reasons and looks deadly serious considering how the actual occurrence went down.

Mikasa hugs him tightly, still laughing as she guides him to her bed and sits down with him. ''Eren, he's not going to kill you. I know Levi is an ass, but I don't think he'd go that far. Besides, I think he'd more likely laugh at it rather than anything else. Only the four of you heard the conversation anyway, so don't worry.''

''Should I apologize?''

Mikasa blinks her eyes, lying back on the bed. ''Nah. Serves him right,'' she says.

''I'm dead.''

''You're exaggerating.''

''Have you seen his biceps? They must be bigger than my head. Dead, I tell you. Split in pieces- dead.''

''If it helps you I'll help you arrange your funeral and serve him some beating too.''

Eren buries his head in the duvet and sighs. ''I'm dead,'' he whimpers, yet again.


	4. A boy pussy

Thank you for the reviews! Remember to settle the reading format as 1/2.

I'd also like to mention that I'm changing the title from Pretty Boy to Life is Hard, But So is My Dick in a few days time.

(Better not ask why).

* * *

><p>Some people tend to think that Eren is bipolar in some aspects. At least Mikasa has mentioned so.<p>

Eren is not exactly innocent, but not mischievous either, and is mostly seen as an awkward puppy.

However, he is also self-less and justice seeking, but often oblivious or hardheaded. Without the knowledge of doing so, he often divides things into black and white. In certain cases, he tends to redouble his efforts even when he has forgotten his aim. He might portray himself as being immensely intense if there is something he wants, something he desires or just anything that has caught his attention. His persistence in regards to football and sports has brought him here as one of the best athletes despite his height and often troublesome behavior. He is known for being impulsive, but also for having fortitude once his mind is set on something.

Then again, just as much as he can start a fight if offended, just as quickly he will feel guilty and try to make things good again if he knows he did something wrong. If one wants to lecture or deem his mindset incorrect, he will listen but mostly when he is calm.

While he is quick to act on his heart rather than his mind, he is not unwelcoming of new ideas. Many of the actions he puts in motion can be contrary to what he did or felt the day before.

To others, it also seems he has no shame – especially since he is perceived as a girl now. Then during other circumstances, it turns out he can be embarrassed enough that his ears turn pink and he becomes a stuttering mess.

Even to Armin and Mikasa, Eren can be hard to map out in regards to what his next moves will be. It is, nevertheless, certain that he is loyal and attentive once befriended. The current events of cross-dressing and lecturing of how to behave properly only leads him into new sides of himself.

Currently, Eren is hiding in one of the broom closets in the school corridor, knees shaking and breath erratic. It has been three days since the 'Vagina incident', as Mikasa prefers to call it (with a provocative wag of her eyebrows).

The day it had happened, Armin had come to their room with Eren's backpack in order to return it. There, Armin told Eren that Levi had barely reacted, but that the rest of the lecturing had been spent sitting in silence save for occasional comments about the riddle they were to solve.

Apparently, not even Jean had said anything afterwards, nor had Levi mentioned anything about it the following days. Eren is just happy he has not been sharing any more lectures with Levi since then, despite sharing one with Jean where the latter sent him lingering looks.

That does not lessen Eren's flighty mind though, or the fear dwelling in the pit of his stomach. The reason as to why Eren is lined up next to brooms and cleaning gear now is because he spotted Levi coming from the other end of the hall, and thus retreated before the other saw him. He has been avoiding the star athlete the best he can, as well as Jean. Eren idly wonders if the reason as to why Jean has not revealed anything to others might be that Levi has threatened him. It does not seem unlikely to Eren, at least.

Then again, Eren knows he might be stretching what truly happened and is exaggerating by far. To Levi, he might just be another 'girl' with a potty mouth and strict mindset. A bother.

He is not even sure why he is so scared of Levi, because altogether, Levi is only but another human being – another individual that Eren can get in a frenzy - and end up rolling on the pavement with.

Yet here Eren is, meticulously taking his time before wading out to see if the other has gone ahead.

This demeanor has been his way of going through the schooldays for three days now, but it is tiring and he wills himself to let the fear commencing in his throat wither.

It maybe startles him a bit that he still admires Levi, one way or another. Perhaps in a way he should not do.

* * *

><p>''Levi is here,'' Ymir whispers into Eren's ear.<p>

Eren jumps at least a foot in the air and hectically scans the room, only to find it lacking the mentioned male. Ymir boasts into another laughing fit in the background, and Annie, despite usually looking gloomy, sports a small smile from where she is walking.

Eren has of course told his little circle of friends what happened, and now all they seem to do is to bully him with it, much to his chagrin. They are walking in the halls, soon parting for afternoon activities. ''I hate you guys,'' Eren mutters, and Historia gives him a somewhat emphatic look. ''Don't mind Ymir – she's just a dick,'' she says and encouragingly pats Eren's shoulder, smiling up at him with one of her pixie smiles that should emanate gold and fairy dust.

''Erin, If I didn't know better I'd think you had a crush on Levi,'' Annie says, pushing some bangs out of her eyes.

Eren knows he might be pushing his luck when he retorts back with a flustered ''fuck the shut up!''

''I don't think that's how it goes…,'' Mikasa dryly mutters, and when did she pick sides with Annie?

''My mind is just – my mind is just in the gutter right now,'' Eren moans, and he has spent too much energy on avoiding everything that starts with L and ends with shithead.

Ymir sniffs solemnly and adjusts the straps on her back. ''If it helps anything, I can tell you that the soccer training starts tonight.''

This has Eren widening his eyes as he stops in the hallway, sucking in a sharp inhale of air. ''It's **tonight?**'' he repeats, suddenly energized. Honestly, he has been so distracted by both the upcoming essays and the avoidance of Levi that he has even forgotten such an important thing.

''Let's see who's the fastest when it's up. I might be taller or bigger, but these legs were made for more than walking,'' Ymir challenges, looking smug. Instantly, everything concerning a dark haired athlete fades from Eren's mind as he grins in return. ''We'll see.''

He does not notice Mikasa mouthing the words 'thank you' to Ymir once he is skipping off to ready himself.

Upon evening's arrival, Eren is geared up in his old, expensive (as one of the only things he has spent most of his self-earned money on) soccer clothes – the only difference being the sports bra with inserted pads clinging to his chest underneath the olive-green shirt.

''I'm going to mow some people down,'' he grins somewhat manically to himself, and Mikasa sits from afar, once more considering joining as she had the last time – for everyone's safety.

''Tension is kind of ebbing from you,'' she says and changes her clothes too. Eren adjusts his knee protectors and shrugs. ''Just don't do a Tyson, all right?'' she adds a moment later.

''Sorry for making you worry, Mik. There's just a lot going on right now…,'' Eren answers – sounding angry with himself, and he is well aware that everything is still very new. He has been close to revealing himself a little too many times already, and in order to stay he knows it craves some work. Putting the pretend and act aside, he also has to keep track on the homework and soon sports activities. The least he needs is for other commotions to occur.

He cannot invite Mikasa and her parents to get-together events here, who are his adoptive parents, because they do not know of his dress stunt. He cannot end up in the school nursery because his identity could be found out there too. He cannot end up in the principal's office either, because it will crave some telling one way or another. He really has to be careful.

''I'm just upset that since I'm in the female section I can't get one of those trials for the national soccer tryouts.'' He sits on Mikasa's bed and watches her pry off her shirt. The ultimate reason as to why Eren has been set on joining Maria High has been for the soccer tryouts solely, but now, speaking of the whole reason, it is all in the drain by now. Going for the female tryouts would be asking for a black eye in the future and a national scandal.

He realizes that all of the effort might not even be worth it in the end.

That is, until he spots the little mark right underneath Mikasa's right breast – followed by another one a little lower. It should look like blue marks, and given that Mikasa enjoys kickboxing and exerts it here too – along with a shitload of other things, blue marks are all she gets – but this is not something that has come from a blow.

Eren clears his throat.

''Mikasa.''

Mikasa draws a new shirt over her head.

''Was that a hickey I just saw?'' he asks, voice a little strained – high pitched.

His part-sister puckers her mouth and draws the shirt lower to cover everything. ''No…'' she answers in monotony, slowly.

Silence settles between them. They stare into each other's eyes for a long while, Eren fidgeting with his hands and Mikasa expressionless.

Then, Eren groans and he drags his hands down his face. ''It's been, what- two weeks?'' he flops down on the ground. ''You've already gotten laid!'' he whimpers, curling into himself. ''You're getting more pussy than I ever will in a lifetime,'' he buries his face in his hands, sighing everything out of his body.

Considering he is to portray a girl, he cannot even put a finger on any of the girls – because even if there were any lesbian girls, they would be unsettled to find out that he is a boy. If there were any girls in general that found out he is a boy, they would be disgusted. There is absolutely nothing here he can achieve. No soccer tryouts. No chances of losing his virginity. Nothing.

Mikasa watches him throw a fit on the floor. This is how it has always been, even in high school. Because Mikasa somehow manages to turn all the girls gay and has already had about three girlfriends during the last couple of years. Eren even distinctively remembers how some of the girls from his science class had been talking about Mikasa and her abs today.

Damn you, Mikasa. **Damn you**.

''You know, you're quite wanted around the school too,'' Mikasa bids in, suddenly.

''Yeah, I know, I'm just-'' Eren stops midway, looking up at her incredulously. ''What?''

''I said: you're wanted around the school,'' and she smiles as she puts the last things in place, sitting down on the little sofa table close to the bed while taking a swig from her water bottle.

Eren's brows fly up his hairline and he immediately raises himself, sitting on his shins. His eyes are glimmering and he looks like a hopeful puppy. ''How? What do you mean?'' he asks, and he thinks back on when that cute brown-haired girl handed him a pencil because he had forgotten his own. Is he commonly spoken about between the girls as much as Mikasa is?

Mikasa looks as if she considers whether she should continue or not.

''Not… not in the same way as me,'' she starts out, hesitantly.

Eren arches a brow, blinking in confusion.

''Uh. The boys. The boys like it when the girls put up a bit of a fight, you know? Many guys seems to do that… here. In this school. With you. With you in it, you know.''

The boy on the floor hunches his head back, putting his well-known fake double chin on show - and if he looked confused before, he looks utterly lost now.

Mikasa continues then. ''They- uh. They like… tan girls too. Petite but sturdy, athletic and slightly tempered girls. Brown-haired girls. Brown haired girls who look like the brunette version of Link. Girls who starts with the letter E.''

Eren licks his chapped lips. ''So?''

The girl sighs, blowing out a raspberry. ''Really?'' she asks, rhetorically.

''What?''

''Eren, they like **you**. Haven't you noticed how the boys ogle you? What about that- that blond dude who offered opening the door for you this morning? Or the- what was his name? Gunth… Don't know, but he paid for your drink.''

Eren looks at her as if she said something stupid. ''What. I- no,'' he suddenly laughs, disbelieving. ''They're good friends, you know.''

''Good friends who wants your boy pussy, that's what. Especially that Jean dude.''

The teal-eyed boy sits still, expression dumbfounded. ''What- why would they want me?'' he bursts out. ''I'm literally the worst resemblance of a girl one could ever find!''

''Not to beat you down or anything, but I don't know either,'' Mikasa says, and Eren knows she is teasing but he sends her the stink-eye anyway.

''I figured you would find out yourself, but you are a common subject between the boys. Trust me. You are.'' Mikasa raises herself and looks at the watch. ''Armin has literally told me how some of his friends have heard rumors of how you're ought to be a wildcat in bed – dominating and all the things they seem to like.''

Eren makes a croaking noise. ''But… I'm a virgin…,'' he gulps and follows Mikasa.

''Yeah, but they don't know that. You're not exactly the shy type in the public eye,'' she explains, even though she knows how little and inferior Eren can look during certain circumstances.

They stand in the bathroom and Mikasa says she has to pee, but Eren continues standing there in front of the mirror, looking himself in the eye.

''Is this the reality you wanted?'' he says to the mirror image staring back at him, and he does another whining stunt and stumbles out of the door – his mourning travelling through the common room as Mikasa sighs.

* * *

><p>The training this time is more serious than the session from the beginning of the school start. It is easy to see which students are serious about this and who only does it as a secondary hobby. If there are enough students of both girls and boys, there can be two representative soccer teams, a female and a male team. There are two teachers this time, which are Mina another other person.<p>

Most volunteers are of the male gender, and there is barely enough to sort a female team too. This tires Eren, because he wants to get out and fight – and he knows that not all of the girls are as eager as he is. He cannot joint he male team, because then it would not be a 'male team' in the public eye.

Mina surprises the lot though. She tells them that since new tides have arrived, there has been discussions around the regions that there should be bland teams. In other schools and soccer clubs, it has become popular to blend some of the best players in a team containing members of both genders. It is, of course, not as spread as other things are, and many have been against it – especially male fans who think men are superior to women when it comes to sports.

Eren has heard about it before, given that it is considered in world cup tours and other events, almost as a new sort of category in sports.

Mina gives the lot a strict look, a contrary to her otherwise kind glances. ''Since this is not widely spread around the regions or accepted as it is here, it means that if we decide to have a bland team, the team will mostly play against full-male teams during events, since women's soccer is not nearly as promoted.''

''Are any girls up for that?'' she asks.

Eren is the first to raise his hand, jutting it up willingly. Mikasa follows along, and so does Ymir, Annie and Historia – and half of the girls attending.

''What about the boys?''

Some of the boys look at the girls with dismay, but others are willing. It ties together to an agreement. Since there are not enough girls, there will be a bland team and a male team. Some of the best male members are both in the bland team and in the male team. The girls who do not want to participate in the bland team are only attending the training regimen then.

Therefore, the first meetings will be spent to test the players' abilities, and to sort out who wants to join the public teams or only wants to join the training.

Eren has come past the stage of thinking that training with girls is a bore, and he finds himself enjoying the training regimen he spends exerting with his friends. He motivates the girls who find it hard, and he genuinely likes it, even if girls surround him for now as the boys are training in the other end of the field.

It hits him that even though girls of all body types, but commonly girls with firm thighs and protruding breasts are running next to him, he feels nothing about it. He does not do that even with boys, but the thoughts that he rather likes watching the boys training in secretive occurs in his mind.

He knows why, but he pushes it to the back of his mind, even though a strange warmth licks the inside of his abdomen when he thinks of what Mikasa had said in the dorm.

Before ending the training, they have a tryout with the girls against the boys. Since there are not enough girls to form a team, some of the boys have to fill the holes out. One of them is Jean, and he grins a little triumphantly, stating that since he is with the girls he is likely the one to score most goals for the team. Eren stands a little behind him, and the wicked glint he had had in his eyes in the cafeteria reappears.

The first minutes of the match go by smoothly – a little hesitantly because the boys and girls are not used to play together, and especially not against each other. Some boys look sorry if they mow through, but they soon experience how fierce Mikasa, for an example, can be.

It turns out that Mikasa and Annie are a defense wall themselves, and together they scare the living shit out of the boys who try to get ahead. The boys are, however, the first ones to score a goal. Eren finally gets the ball when they are five minutes into the game, but nearly falls head first onto the grass when he spots Levi among the crowd on the other team. How he had not noticed him earlier is the first thing that puzzles his mind, but secondarily he freezes on the spot and yelps when another guy, Marco, scoops the ball away from him.

For a moment, Eren lies there, as if frozen. Since he was unprepared, the fall was heavier than necessary, and he hisses by the scrape he has gotten on his elbow. He wheezes though when a hand clamps around his wrist and drags him up, and his head whirs when he sees a familiar face hover above him, looking down at him. Levi stands there, face expressionless. He says nothing and runs ahead to catch up on the others, and Eren looks down at his wrist – puzzled by the jittery feeling simmering under his skin from where he was touched.

Seeing Levi play in person is an experience itself. It does not take Eren long to figure that Levi really is superior when it comes to sports. Levi moves swiftly, and like during his official soccer games, he is quick and manages to look like it is an easy task to keep up. He has long legs and his gait is graceful, as if he knows what he is doing.

Eren's inner fan boy shortly flares, but he wilts it down to an acceptable level and decides he has a game to play himself. This is also a match where he can surprise the teachers and make an impression. The previous soccer teams in Maria High were told to win many events, and Eren wants to be in one of the golden generations.

Therefore, he stoops his heels into the grass and takes off, mind clear this time and eyes on the ball.

He scores within the next quarter, and Ymir comes over and picks him up, swinging him around. He pumps his fists in the air, but remembers to keep himself underneath sea level in excitement just when he is about to roar aloud. He hates that he has to be hyperaware of his voice and his demeanor, so he settles with biting his lower lip as he jumps around with the rest of the girls.

He does not notice the way some of the boys look at him, nor that Jean eyes his buttocks closely when he makes a cartwheel and ends up splayed on the field, grinning. Eren's breath hitches when he looks up and sees that Levi is downright staring at him standing on all four, and he quickly scrambles up, looking the other way.

The boys look a little sour though, and during the next minutes, their shoving becomes more violent than before and they sometimes tackle even when it is found unnecessary.

It winds up when Gunther makes a particular and sudden hard shove into Historia that has the blonde girl thrown to the ground. Before Ymir even manages a snarl, Eren is past the players to reach Gunther – who he otherwise thought of as a friend, and fists his collar to bring him down. ''The fuck you think you're doing, huh?'' he growls, and Gunther looks surprised, along with the rest.

For once, Eren quickly notices the atmosphere though, and looks around, suddenly remembering his role. He releases his hold on Gunther and rubs his own nape, his other hand twirling in a few of his brown strands. ''Oh – I mean, don't do that- **silly,**'' he half-laughs and smiles, although his eyes are telling murder, and he knows he is playing it hard, but he pats Gunther's chest anyway and flutters his eyelashes prettily.

Mikasa comes up to him and tugs in his wrist to bring him along, and Ymir is picking Historia up, who has gotten a bad burn on her knee. In the meantime, Eren notices from the corner of his eyes how Levi walks up to Gunther and they talk. Eren has seen them together many times, since Levi usually hangs out with a certain crew.

Just when Eren is about to look away, Levi turns his head and catches him mid-staring, and the tall athlete apparently has the nerve to arch a brow as a questionable tug appears at the corners of his mouth, almost as a phantom smirk.

Eren feels his cheeks flare and he quickly turns around, breathing through his nose.

* * *

><p>Eren is pretty satisfied with the training regimen though, and since his mood has lifted, he decides to leave the commotion with Levi be. As soon as he leaves the thoughts alone, he finds that he probably exaggerated anyway. At least Levi is not going to kill him, he thinks that evening when he goes to bed.<p>

Amidst the attempt of falling asleep, his mind drifts elsewhere though. He recalls how he could see the muscles in Levi's leg when he ran during soccer, and when the match had been over the athlete had pulled off his shirt in the middle of everything, cussing about it being filthy and sweat stained. Eren remembers how the last rays of the sun before dusk had shone on Levi's bared stomach, his pale skin – his toned abdominal muscles as he flexed them in reflex when a brown-haired girl from the banters came poking his navel and jumped around him. How his back had looked when he turned around and headed for the changing rooms, his shoulders broad and muscular.

Eren swallows heavily and turns around in his bed, ignoring the warmth pooling between his legs. He will be okay.


	5. You aren't going home alone tonight

For you who asked - yes, the rating is going up as of now. (winks)

Thank you for the support.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>''He smiled at me.''<p>

Mikasa gives Eren a somewhat unimpressed look. ''Yeah, sometimes people do that.''

Eren idly fidgets with a thumb hooked in the bow bound around the collar of his uniform. ''No, but – the superstar athlete, unapproachable, ice-cold Levi smiled at or to me.''

It seems that Mikasa catches on with the worrying. ''He might be plotting something,'' she says to herself, and it only makes something knot together in Eren's stomach.

There had only been the phantom smirk at the soccer practice, but it was enough to make Eren lie in his bed at night with the thoughts that something was going to happen soon.

Not to mention the fact that Eren has only been few restraints away from jerking off to the images of Levi's naked torso, but that is not exactly something new on the menu, unfortunately.

He has not seen much to Levi for the past couple of days, which is fine to him, but he cannot help but to continue feeling a little suspicious around the athlete. The 'vagina accident' still happened, and Eren has not heard a word from others or from Levi about it yet. Then there was the moment where Levi picked Eren up from the grass when he fell during soccer, and there was the smile – the phantom smirk and the staring.

''He's definitely plotting something,'' Eren concludes at last, and he thinks he should be more immersed in his homework than in what hisformer favorite idol is doing.

''Please don't do anything stupid,'' Mikasa mutters while she rests on her bed, half of her attention lingering on the magazine she is reading. Eren gives her a grim look. ''I'm not going to do anything,'' he answers and plops down on one of the beanbags in the room.

Mikasa responds with a stretched hum, clearly not biting it. ''I never know with you, you know,'' she says, and Armin who comes in just at the exact same moment clicks his fingers and agrees.

''Not you too…,'' Eren sighs and crosses his arms.

''Legs,'' Armin points out before sitting in the other beanbag.

Eren makes an exaggerated grimace and closes his legs, where Armin has already gotten a great view of the bright orange panties for today.

''What do you do when you're practicing sport?'' Armin asks, directing his attention to Eren's lower regions once more, giving him an empathic look.

Eren puckers his lips and is about to say something along the lines of 'I momentarily leave my dick at home', but he only furrows his brows. ''Now that you mention it, I could easily be spotted if I wear loose underwear,'' he says, and he pales by the thought of Levi smiling at him for that reason. During soccer, Eren had been wearing boxer shorts for males, after all.

Mikasa changes her positions and sits up instead. ''Good thing I've bought you a year's supply of panties, because those are the only tight deal that can properly pack your package.''

''Pack your package…,'' Armin snickers, and Eren groans melodramatically.

''I'm just waiting for the day I pop a boner in class and I'll make it to the front-page of the news.''

''You could always make the excuse that you have a snake in your pants,'' Armin says intelligently, but he is smiling coyly, playing dumb to get a reaction out of Eren.

''Nice idea, Einstein.'' Eren primly retorts and gives him the stink-eye.

Mikasa suddenly jerks up, looking attentive. ''That reminds me, one of the first parties is going to be held next weekend. The welcome party to celebrate we've been here for a month.''

Both Eren and Armin perk up with confused expressions on their faces. ''A party?'' Armin repeats.

''The boarding school holds a party every second or third month, save for the personal parties and other events.''

Silence ensues.

''You didn't know?'' Mikasa raises a brow.

Armin shrugs. ''I had no idea. This is not exactly the thing I'd expect from such a fancy, prestigious school like this,'' he arguments, and Eren agrees in the background.

''Don't worry. It's not exactly the ones where coke is lined up if that's what you think. You see, we get to party with the rich kids – which means tuxedos, expensive champagne and dresses.''

''Why has no one told me about this earlier,'' Eren glumly bids in. Armin shrugs again.

''Guess it is a matter of course here. We're probably the only ones who didn't know.''

''Poverty life, can I get a hell yeah?'' Eren fake cheers and Armin joins in with less enthusiasm than that of a cockroach after a nuclear war.

Something settles in Eren's head. ''Wait,'' he says. ''I don't have a tuxedo,'' he blows a raspberry and goes awry.

Mikasa and Armin share a mutual glance of worry behind the brunette.

''About that, Eren…'' Mikasa goes up to him and pets his shoulder gently. ''Sasha should have some dresses for us to pick between.''

Eren squints his eyes at her in suspicion before reality settles in. ''Oh,'' he mutters.

''Yeah, oh.''

* * *

><p>''Erin,'' Eren hears in a whisper blown against his earlobe – voice of the owner husky but smooth. Eren flies about a meter in the air and lets out a long-lasting, hollow scream in surprise, and is quieted when a hand clamps around his mouth.<p>

He looks around and sees the students in the library give him accusing glares, and the librarian becomes less a fan of him for each day that goes by.

Eren looks up to see none other than Levi standing behind him, perched over and against his back. Eren had been in the middle of putting a book to its rightful place when the other interrupted.

''Levi?'' Eren squeaks in return, voice croaking amidst it. This is it, he thinks. This is the day he dies.

''Wanted to ask if you needed help,'' the taller replies, smoothly – face unchanging. No curse words. No insults. No gloom.

Eren turns around and gives him an incredulous look, and his eyes are probably blown wide in an exaggerated way. He wants to ask 'with what', but he realizes it must be because he could not reach the shelf where the book is supposed to be at.

However, what Eren can pay attention to right now is that it is Levi, of all people, who stands in front of him to offer him help. Moreover, it seems that Levi had sought to help the other by breathing down his neck, saying Eren's cover name in a more or less sensual purr.

If it was not for the kind but suspicious request coming from Levi's lips, he still looks completely like the usual – deadly menacing and with his telltale murderous bedroom eyes staring holes into Eren's soul.

Is it code language, Eren wonders? Is Levi in reality asking Eren to put his hands over his head and escort himself cautiously out of the library so Levi can murder him in a broom closet?

''No,'' Eren therefore replies, somewhat huskily, coughing into his fist to clear his throat. ''No, I'm good – I'm- I'm good,'' he says and laughs in an awkward high pitched voice before scrambling out of the room, managing to discard the book on the wrong shelf on the way.

It is Wednesday, and next week on Saturday, the welcome party is going to be held. It has been four days since the first soccer practice, but Eren is very sure that something must have clicked in Levi's head back then.

Thing is that for the rest of the day, Eren bumps into Levi countless of times - perhaps magically by some twisted fate, or because God decides it is a good day to piss on Eren and everything he loves.

During lunch, Eren nearly twists his ankle when running to his own table, and is saved by Levi who catches him before the blow.

In literature class, Eren catches Levi looking at him now in a role reversal as Eren sits on front with Levi in the back rows.

After class at midday, Eren has to deliver some pages to Eld, since the latter has been sick for today, but when Eren knocks on the door and walks in, the first thing he sees is Levi walking out of the bathroom with only a towel around his hips. Eren ends up croaking like a frog, all blushing as he throws the pages on the ground and runs out.

It is all so beautifully cliché that Eren thinks he must be living someone else's life and not his own, but that of a teenage girl who is being noticed by her one true love.

What is worse is that it continues.

The next couple of days, it is as if Levi wants Eren to be putty in his hands. He sweet talks (as good a cold-hearted, walking demon can manage) in the classes they share, and it is so subtle that no one except Eren notices it – because Levi does not really change, he just becomes touchy. His vocabulary is still vulgar and short-fetched towards others, and he hangs out with the same crew.

Eren never lets him get close, but he cannot excuse the fact that his knees weaken when Levi, for the fourth damn time, appears behind him and whispers something into his ear. Can I help you with this? Can I help you with that?

Sometimes the requests are said with a tone that implies Levi really meant to say **''Do you want me to bend you over this table and take you right here?''**, and Eren feels so angry.

Most of the time, Eren barely manages to say anything in return, because as quick as Levi appears, as quickly he is gone again.

* * *

><p>''Levi might have a twin?'' Historia offers when it is dinnertime, and Ymir agrees stern-facedly. They are discussing the subject vigorously. Sasha looks immersed in the conversation too, and between bites of food, she bids in with other possible ideas as to what is going on. Eren sits with a humorless smile stretched on his lips, clutching his head with his other hand as he once more finds himself sloshing spaghetti around the plate with a fork.<p>

He has not even told anyone about it - but the girls that surround Eren, who even gets to see Levi open the door for him, can see the effort the athlete has put into it lately.

''I've never seen him open the door for someone else,'' Sasha says, looking like she has seen a ghost.

''He's possessed,'' Annie offers, ever the party maker, with Mikasa snorting in reply, and Eren strongly suspects they have become a thing now.

''He's caught the fever,'' Ymir says, voice hollow as if she is mimicking the narrator from a horror movie.

''What fever?''

**''The Erin Fever.''**

Eren's fake double chin he puts on display tells enough about his opinion.

''What kind of bullshit is that.''

Sasha's eyes widen and she turns to Eren. ''No, Ymir's not kidding. It's an ongoing disease between the boys.''

''Getting all that dick, are we,'' Ymir cackles, and Historia rolls her eyes.

Eren finds himself dumbfounded.

''Well, it's no wonder. The welcome party is up soon, and people are probably going to get drunk anyway. Warming up a girl before so has become thing between the boys, I think,'' Historia says, the only one who has a somewhat logical explanation.

The suggestion is not far off the truth, though, because Armin have his tales to tell. He has said that some of the boys have plans for who they are going to score throughout the year, and Eren happens to be on many of the lists, for some unknown reason. It also befuddles Eren, because he had thought that the students of a school like this would be far off the examples of perversity shown in an ordinary high school.

At this, Eren scrunches his nose up. They make it sound like the guys are pigs – but that might explain a lot, and now he has gotten a first-hand taste of what being a girl can feel like. Especially when walking down the corridors wearing a very short skirt – considering the incident in the cafeteria with Jean.

There is a lot he suddenly begins to understand.

''You don't have to worry about the boys. If anyone gets too close, I'll take care of them,'' Mikasa tells Eren, because she might have misunderstood the grimace on Eren's face. Her grip on the fork tells Eren she is not kidding the slightest when it comes to such promises.

''Nah, it's fine. They're just friends,'' he snorts, because why would they be interested in him anyway? He knows he has many friends of the male gender here, but when they spend time together, he does not think they ogle him – although the treatment they give him is definitely different from how it was when he was just a boy.

''Sometimes you're so naïve I barely believe it. You'd literally walk into a wolf's dent thinking it'd play dolls with you,'' Annie sighs.

The days close in, and a week later, there is only two and a half days until the welcome party is to be held. Soccer practice has been fun to Eren, and he has gotten off good enough it had their teachers astounded by his performance. But so has Levi as well, and Eren usually stands in the background and sends him menacing glares with promising threats underneath, only to have the taller look back with one of those smirks once more, sending Eren to flustered run another lap around the court.

Eren does not get it. The first time Levi and he had officially spoken, Levi had literally called him a no-brain, and their second meeting is just something Eren never wants to bring up again.

It has come to the point where, whenever he sees Levi, he back pedals and disappears before the other can as much as notice him.

From the beginning of the scholarship, Eren has gone through the weeks and only popped a boner about five times in daylight, which is a success to say the least. However, here, in just this week, he has experienced the double of that amount because of a certain raven-haired athlete, who just happens to pay varied visits to Eren's dreams at night.

* * *

><p>''Listen, Erin…,'' Reiner stands in front of Eren, and he looks somewhat nervous. He is an easygoing individual with much heart despite the nonchalance, and they have spent at least a half hour playing table tennis now. He stops amidst it, and Jean and some other guys are there too, along with Annie and Ymir who sit in the background.<p>

Reiner has drawn Eren to the side.

''Yeah?'' Eren is actually feeling kind of happy today.

''There's the upcoming welcome party… I was thinking if-''

''Erin.''

A voice interrupts them, and the both of them are surprised to see Levi pass by. He comes up behind Eren and subtly, somewhat possessively bends down and presses his face against the side of Eren's temple as if to mark him – briefly getting eye contact with Reiner.

''You're going to wear that dress for me this Saturday, aren't you?'' he murmurs, and it is not a question, but Eren's mouth is agape as he feels warmth lick the inside of his stomach, and he has no idea of what Levi is talking about.

''Uh-'' he says intelligently, but before he can answer, Levi is already brushing past them with a flirtatious ''see you then.''

And Eren should be sputtering – he should be angry and demand an explanation, or at least tell Reiner that he and Levi are not a thing.

Instead, he stands there, feeling the remnants of the happening seep in as a furious blush fights its way to his cheeks. Reiner looks just as surprised, but his eyes lose that light they had before as he rubs his nape and looks taken down.

Eren shakes on his head. ''Right – so what did you want?'' he asks and bids in with a happy voice again.

* * *

><p>''Shit Eren, you're not going home alone tonight, that's for sure,'' Ymir says, and she pops up the sunglasses perched on the bridge of her nose. The little girl gang has gathered in Mikasa and Eren's dorm, considering the siblings are the last to get ready.<p>

It had been a hazard getting Eren to agree with putting on the corset again, but after enough struggling; he had given in and accepted the sacrifices dedicated to beauty.

He walks out of the bathroom and is surprised by his friends standing there, who all wolf whistle at him and give him thumbs up.

He is wearing a teal dress that has something reminding of a Greek design. It is sleeveless and loose but tight around the waist, and has a transparent double layer that goes down to the bend behind his knees as a veil – bared on the front. He is not entirely ready for the high-heels thing, settling with small black ballerina shoes instead.

His hair has been styled by Historia though and is settled in a simple, but pretty ponytail. The color of the dress diligently compliments his eyes and his tanned skin.

Mikasa, on the other hand, is fitted in a slim red dress that hugs her curves tightly in a way it could never do with Eren. She looks gorgeous with her pale skin and onyx hair, and Eren shortly envies her, even if it is for feminine beauty.

''You look beautiful,'' he tells her, and she gives him a fond smile in return. ''So do you, Erin,'' she says and strays some hair out of his eyes.

''Incest,'' they hear someone say in the background, and seconds later Ymir is gasping for breath on the floor because Annie gave her a nipple twister.

Going to parties with rich people is no joke, Eren figures out when they arrive. He has slowly strayed away from the habit of murmuring 'rich people' whenever a new phenomenon appears, but this case is simply outstanding.

They have gone to the back of the school where one of the pools are, and there are tables with drinks lined up – waiters walking around to service the people, a stage on the other side and a monument of decorations. Inside, they have prepared a dance floor among other things, and everything is in general luxurious – and the people are all and mostly drop-dead gorgeous.

Eren suddenly understands the feeling women sometimes can get when they arrive to parties and have to internally compete with who is the withholder of most beauty, because he immediately feels a stab of insecurity once walking in. The girls are all dapped up in beautiful dresses, and the men have no real danger because all they wear are tuxedos of different designs, but always of black.

Yet at the same time, it is easy to see which boys have outdated themselves and made an effort, because some of them make Eren grant an extra glance just to check if they are real.

He barely knows half of the school's students anyway, and with so many students, with so many attractive people here, a seventeen hormonal teenager cannot help but to feel a little drunk on all the good-looking figures.

What really gets to him is the words Levi had mumbled against his temples a while ago. Subconsciously, Eren looks around to see if he can spot him somewhere, yet to no avail.

It does not take more than a few minutes before a drink is settled in his hand, and the people around him clank their glasses and savor the liquid. Therefore, Eren does too, and the band in the background starts playing.

The principal holds a speech, but that is the only thing giving away formality, because the upcoming party is all but loud music and people chattering around, some of them already beyond tipsy.

Eren himself gets a lot of alcohol inboard, and he dances around with his friends and some of the boys too. The sweet liquid is addicting, and so are the beautiful faces and the thumping of pop music in the background. The neon from the lights are suddenly even more beautiful to the less sober eyes.

At one point, some foreign but handsome student he has only seen around a few times – a swimmer drags him out on the dance floor, as far as he knows, and the student brings him close and sways him around. Before doing so, Mikasa leans in and whispers that he should be careful, and Eren all but nods dazedly with a skewed grin.

Eren is tipsy but willing, and he does not reject it when the boys´ hands land on his hips in a grasp not meant for innocent actions. He gives the other a bubbly grin, and he knows he should be careful, because when he is drunk he gets either rowdy or very affectionate.

The dance is short-lived though, because someone gently drags him away by the elbow – and the other boy protests, but when he sees the face of the intruder, he suddenly gets quiet and relents.

Eren lets himself get dragged away, mumbling and giggling all the while. He talks about wonderland and about football, about becoming a world's champion.

He does stop when they reach one of the school corridors and the person turns around. Levi stands there, in a coat-looking tuxedo that fits snugly around his broad shoulders and slim waist.

''I have a deal for you,'' he says, and there is something knowing in his voice.

''Dorito man,'' Eren says in return though and points at Levi's chest before peeling out another session of giggling.

He is too dazed to take a real look at Levi's face, but to him it does not matter anyway. Nothing matters other than the light feeling in his chest and the funny fact that he is actually wearing a dress right now. After a while, he stands still though, because an itchy feeling wells up underneath his fingers, and he wants to touch. In his state, it seems incredibly reasonable.

Therefore, he does exactly that, pressing himself flush against Levi, reaching up tug at his nape to press their lips together at front.

He is too tipsy to be surprised that Levi returns the kiss.

Eren hums happily when Levi skirts his tongue out and runs it along his lower, plumb lip – testing the waters. Eren opens his mouth and they share a sloppy-open mouthed kiss that sends a surge of warmth to unfurl in his stomach. They do it again, and Levi tongue-fucks his mouth in a way that is not too much but not less either, making Eren weak in his knees as he moans in return, grasp on the others´ blazer tightening.

Eren presses a hand between them, not needing to look for long to feel the outline of Levi's cock chafing the pants. Eren splays his hand there and fondles it, to which Levi groans against his lips when they pause to get air.

''I want to suck your cock,'' Eren grits out, sounding breathless. It is lucky that his dress covers his erection so far, considering he is propped into a pair of tight panties once more. It feels a little uncomfortable, because the fabric is straining against his arousal, but he is too occupied with the fact that he has a hand on Levi's cock.

Levi does not answer, but takes a step back and unbuckles his belt. It is a raw situation itself, because they are standing in the end of one of the vacant corridors with big open windows and a stairwell leading to the upper floor. Levi stands with his back against the side of the stairs leading up, and further ahead behind the windowpanes, firework lights up on the sky from the party outside. Half of Levi's face is lighted up, and the look in his eyes is lust-driven and dangerous.

Eren drops to his knees, almost stumbling in his dress, but manages to steady himself. He inches closer and takes a hold of Levi's muscular thighs through the material, bracing himself.

Levi unzips his pants and spreads the fly open, dragging down in his boxer shorts just so that his cock springs up, heavy and a little curved.

''Suck.''

Eren's warm breath hits the cockhead first, followed by his pliant lips as he opens up and takes the tip in, Levi twitching at the heat he is soaked into. Eren makes a kittenish lick with the tip of his tongue, tracing it in the space between the slit slowly. Levi inhales deeply, and one of his hands dip down to loosen Eren's ponytail as he threads his hand through the brown, flattened locks.

At this, Eren takes more in, and this is the first time he has ever as much as been in contact with another person's lower regions, so he can only contribute with what he has learnt from porn videos or erotic novels, as well as the web sites with tips on how to give good head. However, with the alcohol settled in, he gathers enough courage, because all he can think of is that itch that tells him how much he wants to touch and please.

He does not move much, but traces his tongue around and about and fondles the base with his fingers, sliding an index finger along a vein. Despite the eagerness, he does it slowly at first to savor the taste and to take it in somewhat properly. It is still sloppy - but warm and all over the place, and when he starts bobbing his head in a good pace, Levi cants his hips, thrusting his cock languidly into Eren's mouth.

Eren gags lightly at first, but when Levi draws away, Eren urges him back and whines, taking him in anew, even though he can only manage half of the girth - slurping obscenely around the width.

Despite the circumstances, he is the loudest of them – spiked with arousal with the knowledge that it is Levi he is sucking off, hovering above him. He opens his eyes and looks up at Levi, who looks right back.

Levi curses under his breath and runs a hand down the side of Eren's face.

''Such a good cocksucker, **Eren**.''

In the blink of an eye, sobered up by a syllable, Eren stops amidst his doings.


	6. Too fucking easy

Thank you for the great support. Keeps me inspired.

* * *

><p>Eren is not one to back down from a challenge. He is not afraid of facing conflicts either.<p>

However, something weakens in his already scraped knees from where he is on the ground, staring up at Levi.

In return, Levi looks impeccably indifferent, as if what intern knowledge he just stated aloud is none other than the usual.

Therefore, Eren does what he has rarely considered before. He raises himself slowly, staggering a little back, still glaring wide-eyed at the athlete.

His mouth opens, as if to say something, but nothing comes out.

He turns around, and he runs down the hall as if he has the devil stalking his heels – and Levi is left standing against the stairwell with his fly open and cock out.

Eren barely hears the muffled yell coming from the other end, but he is too busy doing his best to disappear, although his sight is blurred and he is sure he stubs his toe into one of the trashcans when he rounds the next corner.

He wakes up the next morning with a raging headache and a mouth as dry as sandpaper. Mikasa is looming above him, and Eren realizes he has been sleeping in her bed.

Mikasa, ever the one to coddle Eren when he is at his worst, hands him a glass of water before he can say anything.

She does not say anything, but sits on the edge of the bed and patiently watches him gobble the water.

''How are you feeling?'' she asks when he has wiped his mouth to heave out a long sigh.

''Like shit.''

''You look like it too.''

''Thanks.''

Mikasa gives him one of those gentle smiles as she strays some bangs out of his eyes, a habit she has achieved through time.

Eren has got dry mascara pecked on his cheeks, and from the looks of it, he has been rubbing his eyes too so that it looks like he is wearing a generous amount of eyeshadow. He feels the remnants of the makeup cling to his skin, and he spends the next minutes sniffing solemnly as he rubs the uneasiness off his face.

''When I came back here last evening you were crying on the bed, mumbling something about Levi and his cock,'' Mikasa starts out gently, approaching the subject with caution, although her words are direct.

Eren swallows the bile gathering in his throat, fighting the blush creeping upon his cheeks. ''Yeah,'' he says, and something heavy anchors in his stomach by the reminder that what happened last night is no dream.

''I sucked Levi's cock,'' he says.

He expects Mikasa to go nuts or exclaim that he should stay away from the latter, but she does not.

''And then?'' She urges him on instead.

''When I… He said my name. My real name.''

At this, Mikasa squints her eyes. ''Do you think he mispronounced you name, perhaps?''

''His words were… very clear,'' Eren coughs, remembering how Levi had gone as far to stretch out the syllables between bitten groans.

Mikasa takes the glass from Eren and settles it on the nightstand. ''Let's wait and see about it, okay?'' she says, and her words are so patient and soft-spoken – with no hint of grudge in her voice. Eren gazes at her for a long time. He remembers his friends here, and all the things he is yet to experience. To think that it might end here, because of him getting drunk – because he was so careless, even though he has friends around him that do everything for him, will do everything to protect and help him. Moreover, he wasted their kindness for one night of drunkenness.

The tears are unexpected, but they gather in the corners of his eyes as he looks down at his lap, at his disheveled dress that even has some dried mascara on it too. ''I'm sorry,'' he says, and his voice breaks over in the middle to end in a whisper.

Mikasa leans close, and she, despite Eren's half-hearted protests, drags him into her embrace and sits on the bed while he is askew on her lap. She holds her arms around him and lets him cry into the crook her neck just as she allowed him to do when they were kids.

* * *

><p>The next week is agonizingly slow for Eren. Mostly because he expects the 'expected' – in this case: rumors to go around or news about his true gender to spread like wildfire. However, once more, nothing happens at all, which is more or less worrisome.<p>

If Eren had spent a little effort avoiding Levi in the first weeks, he sure puts in all of his energy to do so now. He jumps at least a meter in the air every time someone calls either Levi's or his own name, hallucinating that they might have said 'Eren' instead of 'Erin'.

Whenever someone say they want to talk to him, sweat gathers everywhere and he feels cold but warm at the same time – incredibly anxious for someone who has rarely felt fear or had second afterthoughts.

He skips soccer practice and literature class too. In fact, he skips everything that might have something to do with Levi in general. His friends notice his strange behavior, and even Ymir offers him a shoulder to rest on in case he needs someone to talk to, given his jittery demeanor and worried looks.

Armin and Mikasa are the only ones who know about the situation, and the both of them loom around Eren and hold an eye open towards Levi's direction whenever he is in sight.

Yet still, two weeks later, nothing out of the ordinary happens, and Eren is ushered to soccer practice by the gym teacher, Mina, herself.

Eren wills himself to let the thoughts go astray so that he can focus on the practice, but in the middle of a game, he stops mid playing when Levi comes running from the other direction. Everything freezes in his limbs, and when someone else scoops the ball away from him, he runs out of the court and into one of the changing rooms that are currently not in use, since it is under reconstruction.

Mikasa is about to run after him when she sees that Levi is quicker than she is, and despite wanting to jump in, she tells the team players to keep playing and go on as she focuses on the game.

Eren grits his teeth and wills his heart to stop thudding against his ribcage so violently, clutching the front of his shirt. He inhales sharply when a hand closes around his wrist and turns him around. He finds himself facing the front of his last dreams and nightmares, Levi, who is breathing just as hard from exerting soccer and from chasing Eren to the changing room.

''Eren,'' he says, and his face expression is still unsettling to the other, because Levi does not wear his heart on his sleeves as Eren does. For all it looks like, Levi has no emotions other than what annoyance he can show with his furrowed eyebrows and scornful eyes.

Eren is not sure how to respond, because what if the pronunciation had been an accidental slip of syllables? In reality, Eren might have left Levi standing there in the shadows of the corridor for no reason at all.

''I have a deal,'' Levi says again, and Eren suddenly remembers that Levi had prompted this before, but back then Eren had been too distracted.

''I know you're a boy,'' Levi then says, and everything vanishes from Eren's brain.

Just as the brunette is about to move away again, Levi catches the front of his shirt and pushes him against the metal of a locker. ''I'm going to tell them,'' he continues and puts extra emphasis on his words. It is first here that Eren actually looks up at him, once again wide-eyed.

''Unless…,'' are the next words and the walls in Eren's throat clench violently as if he cannot breathe.

''You do as I say.''

Eren's mouth falls agape. ''What?'' he croaks. A dumbfounded expression strikes his features. At this point, he believes he would do anything. One thing is for sure, and that is that he has never expected his biggest idol to stand before him, blackmailing him with whatever he has in mind.

Become a slave. Do my homework. Drop out of the school. Embarrass yourself in front of an audience.

All kinds of possible requests pop up in Eren's head, and he only expects the worst.

''Pretend you're my girlfriend,'' Levi finishes.

Silence erupts between them, and Eren's hard breathing slows down as he lets the words seep into his brain. If his eyes were wide before, they are the size of round cups by now.

He points at himself with a crooked finger in disbelief, mouth opening and closing. ''Girlfriend?'' he repeats, voice high-pitched.

Levi does not laugh or explain himself. He just continues glaring at Eren with the same expression as before.

''For the rest of the year,'' he says.

''But why?'' Eren is damn near crying again, because of all the things Levi could have thought of, this is the final case.

''I don't owe you an explanation,'' Levi says indifferently, releasing his hold on Eren. ''If you could put your brain to use, you'd damn know why,'' he pokes Eren's forehead and takes a step back, already about to walk out again.

''How did you know?'' Eren asks, loud enough for his voice to resound in the hollowed room that is still unfinished and leads to a little hallway.

Levi turns around, and this time he sports a strange smile on his lips – a knowing one, almost to leer. ''You stand out, Eren. From day one, there was something strange about you. Not that many spare a thought to that, and no one would believe a person to be crazy enough to smuggle themselves into a school like this with a fake identity,'' he explains.

He veers his head to the side and gives Eren a cornering look. ''You and Mikasa are also told to be relatives, although you look nothing alike. I googled your family name, and the first thing that pops up is an article about two wonder kids from Sina High, Mikasa and her brother, **Eren**.''

He does one of those phantom smirks, this one lopsided. ''Photos were attached too. You're too fucking easy, Eren.''

Shit, Eren thinks, and he licks his lips idly, running a quick hand through his hair, loosening his ponytail in the process.

''But then-'' there are many things that are left unexplained, and Eren still looks at Levi in questioning. ''.. then why'd you let me kiss you? Why'd…'' his cheeks suddenly fume, and he covers his mouth and most of the front of his jaw and chin.

Levi crosses his arms, tonguing the inside of his cheek in consider. ''I like sex, Eren. I wouldn't say no to a free blowjob whether it is from a man or a woman, if that's what you're thinking.''

Eren even forgot that Levi is nineteen by now, as some of the other peers are too. There are no directly strict limitations as for age in this school, as long as the individual is not above twenty. Levi has probably already experienced many different escapades, aside from the fact he is considered an international celebrity.

If even possible, Eren's insides heat up, and he does not know if it is out of anger or embarrassment.

''Besides, your lips looked so pretty around my cock.''

Eren chokes on nothing, mouth feeling dry. He averts Levi's straightforward glare and looks down at his feet, not knowing what to say.

He hears footsteps come near him, and Levi stands in front of him now.

''Didn't know you were a girl at first, though. First plan had been to court you to make you believe I was in love with you so that you could play my date.''

At this, Eren returns the glare, even if he has to look up. Levi squints his eyes, but his eyebrows are arching. ''Turns out I didn't need to go through a shitload of hassle to make the get-through. Blackmailing you is much easier,'' he mutters, and fuck if his voice is seductive, bidding in with a low purr most girls would wet their panties for, and Eren is no exception in terms of reactions as he gulps, lower lip quivering.

The realization of what Levi has told him does not escape his mind though.

''Wait a minute,'' he says – slowly, punctuating every syllable.

''Even if…,'' his eyes squint now and the feeling that had been anchoring inside his stomach as a burden now becomes a ball of fury unfurling up to his throat and mouth. ''Even if I had been a girl, you had only targeted me so that I could be there for your public image? To do what? To scare others away? To piss someone off?'' He starts out, and the sudden realization makes him step forward with enough hastiness that Levi actually steps back to give off a glare of surprise.

''Even if I had been a girl, you'd do sweet-talk and make me putty in your hands, play my heart and then drop me later on?'' he was yelling by now, and Levi had the decency to look affronted, even if it was probably only because of the volume in Eren's voice.

The corners of Eren's lips are pulling upwards, but it is not a smile of glee. It is a grin dedicated to his own stupidity for being played with so far, for actually admiring the person before him. To grin at all the girls around the state who idolize a person who would willingly play with someone's feelings. A cynical grin to laugh at the world and the people who live here.

''I guess I'll have to give you some credit for figuring it out,'' Levi says, but his voice drops lower and he looks annoyed.

''I do what I have to do. It's not my fault they take interest me, and if they do, it's only because I'm the earlier face of a famous soccer team. I could crash a car and smoke a shit ton of weed, and they'd still look at me with eyes the size of their lust, and then in pity in case I fuck up really, really bad. The media will only be there at my best to worship me, or at my worst to degrade me for my failures, even if they are at minimum. Why do you think there are fences lined up around the school? To keep the cold out? Nah, that's the media. Why do you think everyone stares at me when I pass by? For once, coming to a school where other important smartasses meet up, I thought I could be anindividual. But hey, they'd still suck my cock if I asked, just **because.**''

He wets his lips, and a hollow-looking smile wrinkles the corners of his mouth. ''What the fuck can I do to make them stop pestering my ass? I'll tell you, Eren. I play them, just like they play me. I'll play tail with them even if it makes the spotlight shine on me till they get tired of it, even if they hang me out as a sleezy fuckboy. Don't you think there are girls out there who'd be my fucktoy for my looks only, for my wealth and for my fame? Cause they don't give a fuck about who I am-''

He backs Eren against the locker, apathy apparent on his face as the only thing, and the slam from when his palm connects to the metal next to Eren's head is loud in the room.

''- They only care about who I was.''

A sound of water dripping from one of the unstable showerheads sounds in the distance – dripping to fill the silence.

''Love is just a game or a front page on the news, Eren.''

He leans in so that their faces are close, his breath tickling Eren's lower lip.

**''And I play well.''**

He removes himself and pulls a bit in his slightly sweat-stained shirt, tugging at the collar. ''I'm not asking you to do something hard, Eren. You play nice, hold my hand every now and then, and no one finds out about your secret. Easy as that.''

When Eren is about to open his mouth, Levi butts in again:

''Don't try to guilt trip me,'' he snarls, and the way it is rounded makes the hair on Eren's nape stand on end. ''Because it won't work. I don't give a fuck.''

His face changes again, from annoyance to nothing at all – no mockery, no anything. Just nothing. ''And I'm not going to.''

With that, he turns around and returns to the soccer practice, leaving Eren behind with more questions than what he had come with.

* * *

><p>''What did Levi tell you?'' Mikasa asks when she comes into the room, since Eren had left practice early.<p>

She looks wary, and her hands are balled in fists, ready to pounce back and find Levi just in case.

In addition, Eren considers telling her, but it would only cause a mess. Then again, Mikasa is the most logical thinking of the two – along with Armin, and she might have an idea.

However, this is Eren's mess, so he only looks at her with a smile. ''Levi confessed to me,'' he answers. ''We're in love.''

Mikasa stops in her tracks. ''You're lying,'' she retorts as quick as Eren responded, and the tone in her voice leaves no room for arguments.

Eren groans loudly in despair and flops down on Mikasa's bed, which he must have done at least twenty times the past weeks.

''He's blackmailing me so that I can pretend I'm his girlfriend'' he says so quickly no one should be able to understand it. He drags his hands down his face, creating peculiar noises in the back of his throat.

Nevertheless, Mikasa catches up on it, of course. ''I knew it,'' she hisses and turns around, presumably to run Levi down and haunt his ass for eternity. Eren is quick this time, up on his feet in a whisk to grasp her wrist, keeping her in place. ''No!'' he quips, voice cracking over.

''He's going to tell everyone if you do something.''

Mikasa looks troubled, but her fists unclench and she huffs. ''Then what? Are you going to pretend you're his girlfriend?''

''It won't hurt anyone. I'm just- uh, I'm just going to hold his hand sometimes.''

''But Eren…, your feelings-''

''Don't matter. It doesn't matter. He's an asshole anyway, I've come to figure.''

Mikasa gives him a long stare.

''I'll be fine, Mik,'' he answers, smiling reassuringly at her. The smile disappears though and he buries his hands in his hair, mimicking a pulling motion. ''But oh my god I swear I'll make him choke on my **cock**'' he bites out and practically roars, turning around to kick one of the teddy bears on the floor.

He spends the rest of the evening yelling threats to the air while Mikasa encourages him in the background.

Later, Armin passes by and gets the news loaded on his back. They google the family name and find the article, although it can firstly be found on the third page – and it is small and quick. In the article, Eren was still permitted under his old family name before his parents – which he still is, although here on the school with his new identity, he goes under Mikasa's family name.

Armin takes care of it and glitches the page, even if it takes him the rest of the evening. Eren can only stand in the background and plot out what to do in the future, as well as to make sure that everything regarding his fake pass goes accordingly.

Armin cannot go as far as to go in official papers and make things up or hack a database, but he can make fake webpages about Eren in different environments or events, as well as he had made a believable identity card to enter the school with, along with the scholarship.

* * *

><p>The following day, the crew gives Eren worried glances.<p>

''I'll make him pay…,'' Eren has been muttering under his breath for the past couple of minutes by the lunch table, and even Annie looks a little concerned, even though she is well known for her apathy.

''Did something happen?'' Historia asks, but it is not directed towards Eren, but to Mikasa.

Mikasa shortly eyes Eren, and then faces Historia again. ''Some few complications is all…, just give her some time.''

Ymir puckers her mouth. ''Her eyes look living, at least,'' she bids in.

Historia furrows her brows. ''Yes, but they are telling murder and that's not exactly the kind of life spark that looks good on Erin, of all people.'' The rest of the table agrees, and Eren hears nothing of it, because he is too busy stabbing the sweet potatoes on his plate with a fork.

Eren is glad he has not seen Levi most of the day, although he gets a few glimpses of the latter every now and then. Since he met Levi in person, he has become remarkably stealthy on his feet and good at avoiding people – to no wonder.

Yet he left a promise to the athlete, and if he does not keep it, his dignity and probably balls too are at stake.

So he can only tense up and notice how a mix between anxiety and a strange fluttery feeling mold in his stomach when he hears Levi's voice in the hall after the third lecture today.

He does not even get to turn around before he feels a warm breath on the side of his neck, followed by the presence of someone standing behind him.

''Erin,'' Levi greets, and Eren was just checking something in his school locker but has it closed now. Levi's arm travels around Eren's waist when turning around, tugging him close so that they share intimate proximity.

''How was your day?'' he asks and does that sweet-talking he had done before the party, and it sounds fairly innocent, if it was not for the lustful glaze over his eyes, along with the way his fingers warningly press into the blazer. Levi's hand feels warm and big on Eren's hip, and Eren should not find himself wanting to lean into it.

For a moment, Eren considers telling him to piss off, but he remembers the promise. He remembers that he has to endure this for a whole year from now on, even though he knows he will probably be the one in most agony with a living boner hell surrounding him.

His left eye twitches slightly – probably very unattractively, but he puts on a shy smile – perhaps because Levi's presence still makes his heart beat in a funny way. ''Super,'' his voice is iced though. ''I-'' his sentence shortly cracks when Levi leans even closer so that their noses almost touch. He still has to look down and Eren up.

Eren notices from the corner of his eyes how some bystanders and familiar faces are looking when they pass by. First thing is that Levi, the unapproachable but annoyingly attractive star athlete, is coddling Erin. Second thing is that Erin, the quick and hotheaded, hard to get (insanely oblivious) pixie Erin, is responding to Levi's coddling.

''I couldn't stop thinking about you,'' Eren mutters out, and there is spite in his voice but instead it sounds almost sensual. 'And about how much I want to bite your dick off and feed it to a flock of coyotes' he finishes inside his head and he is only smiling because of his inner dialogue.

''Cute,'' Levi retorts. He leans in so that their cheeks are almost touching as he traces his mouth along the shell of Eren's ear. ''We'll take it slow. First comes simple flirting,'' he instructs, and for every word he breathes out, warmth surges down Eren's spine and makes him swallow hard. ''- then comes public display of affection. Thirdly, you'll have to wait and see.''

Eren's toes are curling inside his ballerinas, and his fingers are twisting the end of his skirt somewhat nervously. ''I'm not going to force you to do anything physical,'' Levi murmurs, ''but I won't say no if you want to have quick fuck behind the school...,'' and he leans away. His face is the same as before, as if he has not just made a hellfire lick up Eren's insides.

''Most important rule is that you have to make your love for me believable, because it's probably going viral.'' Something glistens in his eyes. ''Not that you'd have to pretend anyway, as far as I see,'' he gives Eren an affectionate clench on the hip and then draws away, trailing down the hall as tall he is – and the tense atmosphere in the room follows him.


	7. Yes or no

For the confused anon: This is an alternate universe where I have claimed that Levi is taller, and that they are both around the same age. Eren is 17 while Levi is 19 here.

Thank you for the lovley reviews.

* * *

><p>Rumors are slowly beginning to spread around the school - seeing as Levi and Eren spend more time together.<p>

Translated, it means that Levi leans in on Eren a little too often and whispers in his ear, hand hovering over his hip. When they meet in the halls, Eren makes sure to let his eyes linger on Levi when passing by, and in literature class, they sit close, although they never really talk about something relevant other than the usual small talk, lots of 'shut up's from Levi and lots of 'I hate you's from Eren.

The most annoying thing is that whenever Eren says those words, Levi only smirks somewhat knowingly.

It is strange to see Levi smile in general. He sometimes sports something reminding of an amused expression by the show of Eren's reluctance.

''So you can smile?''

''I smile about four times a day to keep a somewhat healthy schedule,'' Levi answers with a lifted brow, and Eren hates that he smiles at the words because he should not. He literally gets blackmailed to pretend he is Levi's girlfriend. He must at least have the audacity to make Levi wholly aware that he is against it.

Eren manages to proceed surviving by listening to Papa Roach's song Getting Away with Murder at least forty times a day. He manages, and that is what matters.

He is well aware he should not be interested in Levi at all, yet he still finds himself mildly entertained, or at least intrigued by the fact that he can, in fact, get closer to the seemingly unapproachable Levi, or at least get to know what kind of person he is.

Not that he has gotten a great impression so far, but he decides that if he really has to go around and play pretend for a year, he should get something out of it. He can use it for his own advantages. He could reveal some of Levi's secrets, if the bastard even have any. He could take pictures of him sleeping with a teddy.

No. Maybe not that.

Nevertheless, he could find something to blackmail the latter for, and when the time is in, he will have a master plan to mow the shithead down.

Eren sits by his desktop on his little indoor balcony and writes the possibilities down. There are so many ways to ruin Levi's life. Eren thinks that life is suddenly very great.

He knocks his knees up the underside of the table in surprise when Armin pops his head up from the ladder and prompts a greeting, interrupting Eren's suspicious giggling.

''Armin, warn a man, would you?'' Eren wheezes, grasping his nonexistent boob.

''Sorry,'' Armin says and levers himself up on the floor and throws himself on Eren's bed with a satisfied harrumph.

''How's it going with the dating thing?'' he then asks, wetting his chapped lips.

Eren sniffs solemnly. ''I don't know. I'm currently making a master plan to outwit that ass,'' he answers in a mutter, looking down at the paper:

**Eren's ****Erin's MASTERPLAN!**

**Kill him in his sleep** **Have an affair with his sister (does he have one? FIND OUT)** **Force feed him with broccoli** **Steal his socks** **…**

He needs better ideas though.

''Do you think Levi is a bad person?'' Armin asks unexpectedly, and this stirs something in Eren's brain.

Eren puts the pencil down and looks over his shoulder, put in disarray by the question.

''He's definitely an asshole…,'' he murmurs, and he nods to himself. Levi is a douche, which is for sure. A bad person though? Yes, no? Eren looks a little contemplative now, lost in thoughts.

''He would willingly play with another person's feelings,'' he argues.

A troubled expression shortly occupies Armin's face. ''Yes, but in what aspect? I mean…, wow, you wouldn't want to hear about the other boys around my dorm,'' he shudders.

''What?'' Eren knits his brows together.

''No, I just mean… teenage boys in general. You'd know well that you can't trust them in this age. And this comes from a teenage boy, said to another teenage boy. My roommate Olou literally just told me yesterday he accepted a girl's love confession because she has big tit- uh, breasts. For solely that reason, really. I've already told you about the lists some of the boys have made – a TO DO list of who they want to… make love with... no that's the wrong term. Uh, do? Bang?'' Armin grimaces at his own words.

Eren makes a dumbfounded expression and drums his fingers on the table. Sometimes he swears he forgets he is a teenage boy too. He had thought about girls a lot too, in less than intelligent or appropriate manners, although that has severely faded now.

He has also had grim thoughts, and up until now, he has had a very dreamy image of Levi or what would resemble a crush. He has come to the point where he will even admit in his head that yes, he did have a crush on Levi. Problem remains that he might still do, even though he has been met by the attitude that of an ogre.

It makes him think that people in general can be foul. Not just boys, but girls too – and that comes with a newfound knowledge from listening to girls gossiping madly about one another, about boys and even about comrades of their own.

In the realms of teenagers, no one is safe, so to speak.

''True. But would they blackmail a boy into pretending they are their girlfriend for the sake of their own reputation? Don't think so,'' he huffs aloud.

''I know where you're getting at…, but still. Many girls are also willing to play into that role for the celebrity's fame solely, for the celebrity's body or for their looks. It goes both ways. Celebrities will maintain relationships for the sake of their reputation solely, but onlookers will throw themselves at them with the person the media has created in mind.''

Armin scratches his arm, looking deep in thought as he speaks. ''They will often do it not for the love, but for the title. In the media and the world of the famous, a title is everything.''

''Stop being smart,'' Eren pouts. ''You make it sound like I shouldn't be angry at all.''

''I'm not saying you shouldn't be angry with him. I'm just saying you should reconsider your thoughts and think about why he is willing to do as he does. Who knows, he might just be a bad person as most like to think? He might also be a good one. However, that's really up to the eye of the beholder to judge that. To you, he might be an asshole. To his closest friends, he might be a good friend. To the media, he is the football champion who suddenly drew out of the competition after the ankle sprain incident, and decided not to come back even though he could if he wanted to.''

Eren sucks his lower lip in between his teeth. He jabs a finger in Armin's direction. ''Stop that! Stop!'' he admonishes and shakes his head, ruffling his hair. ''Stop making me think too much, it's hard on me,'' he moans aloud and throws his head back, looking up at the ceiling.

Armin snickers. Sometimes it is as if he just comes to play mind tricks on Eren just because.

''So what is a bad person to you?'' he asks.

Eren swivels the chair and looks up again. ''I don't know,'' he retorts rather sullenly. ''But Levi is still an ass.''

''I'm not going to argue against that…, to be honest, I'd rather you played some foul trick on him and gave him a pinch of his own treatment.''

''Then why'd you make it sound like he's a good guy?''

''God Eren, I never did. I just told you there might be something behind the façade he puts on display.''

''What façade?''

Armin rolls his eyes with such vigor they might not even return. ''You deal with it,'' he grumbles, but he is still smiling. The smile fades though, and he suddenly looks devastatingly serious. ''He's not forcing you to anything, right?''

Eren blanches. ''Uh, other than being his girlfriend, no. Don't worry…,'' he retorts, and he does certainly not let his thoughts linger on the image of Levi doing all kinds of things to him. Commanding him, yanking his panties down, gliding those hands over his hips and down between…

Arming gives Eren a long look.

''No! There's nothing,'' Eren yelps and turns around on the chair to look at the papers again.

* * *

><p>By bedtime, Eren ponders about the conversation with Armin.<p>

He considers the fact that it has only been a half year since Levi seemingly declined playing again, much to every soccer-lovers´ surprise. Eren considers that even though it has been a half year since the withdrawal, most of the mail that the school gets is from fan girls who want to get in contact with the earlier champion.

He suddenly considers that those sharp glances he has been getting from other girls in the school since the dating rumor has started are not directed at Levi as he first thought, but perhaps towards himself.

Some of the boy Eren usually hung around with have stopped coming, stopped seeing him altogether or at least less than before. They stare at him, sometimes in what resembles resignation, because the one he is rumored to date is perceived perfect in many people's eyes, despite being anything but.

This is all because of one thing.

Because he is dating Levi, simply.

Something lodges in his throat and all he can think is 'oh'. The first thing that strikes him is that people have avoided him for that reason. Just because. It specially hurts because some of his good male friends seem less interested. It makes it seem like they were only around because Eren was single.

That… does not feel very good.

Girls will willingly stare at him with menacing glares due jealousy or something else. For such a reason.

Eren is glad that he still has Reiner, Bertholdt, Marco, Connie, Jean and the girl crew. Not that he has lost that much, but it has been two weeks since the rumor started, and everything is in full swing by now.

He wonders when it will go viral. He fears that people will google him furiously and find nothing, or perhaps find everything.

He sighs heavily and rolls onto his side, drawing the blankets up to his nose. He will just have to manage, as he always does. He can do that.

* * *

><p>Today is different. Alarmingly so.<p>

Eren arrives at the cafeteria after two morning lectures, thinking about blueberry muffins and good food. He is starving and he reminds himself not to run into the room, because one – not nice, two – his skirt might fly up. He is really getting a hang of this girl thing by now.

Just when he has gotten his tray with food and picked a muffin, he nearly jumps a meter in the air when he feels an elbow hook around his arm, just subtly, but surely.

He looks up to his side to find Levi standing by his side with his a filtered sandwich in his own hand, returning the look Eren gives him, although Levi's glance is neutral but knowing. 'Play along' Eren knows it says by now.

Therefore, he does not fight against it when Levi guides him to one of the tables in the corner, the one where Levi and his friends usually sit.

The outstanding fact about this occurrence is that so far, **no one** gets to sit at that table unless escorted by the ones 'traditionally' occupying it, and if you are lucky enough to be one of the persons, it means you are **special**.

It sounds awfully cliché, and Eren thinks that it is, but that is just how it is. A hierarchy has already been settled after one month and two weeks at the school. There are always the old tales about 'well, they are only popular because you make them so', but Levi's crew is just remarkable, and there is no astounding reason as to why.

Eren can feel his heart thud madly against his ribcage and it distracts him so much he barely notices how Levi slinks a hand around his waist and holds a palm against the lower bend of his back.

They sit down, and there are already other people settled there, whose eyes are all on Levi and the 'newcomer'.

Eren daringly looks up. Some of them barely look like students, and seem far too mature to be hormonal teenagers. Olou, who Armin mentioned, smacks some gum and looks far too amused, staring with leering eyes.

Before Levi can say anything, a brown-haired person coos ''what a cute face,'' from the other side of the table. She reaches a hand out to pinch Eren's cheek, but Levi is quicker and reluctantly smacks the hand away. ''Get the fuck out of her face, shithead,'' he snarls, sending her something reminding of a death glare that apparently makes her back away, although she only laughs in return and continues smiling. She whistles and raises her brows. ''You've surely made one hell of a catch there,'' she retorts, and Eren feels his cheeks fume by the praise.

She sits down again, legs shamelessly spread as she taps her knees and makes a satisfied sound. ''Erin, isn't it?'' she regards Eren, and Eren, feeling a little meek, only nods frantically. ''Let's have a name round…,'' she begins to point around at the people by the table. ''Red haired girl is Petra. Guy with the weird face is Olou. Guy with the small beard is Eld – he has drama class with you, doesn't he? Anyway, weird hair guy is Gunther, Mr. Tick is Moblit, Isabel is miss hyper, Farlan is the frowny guy and Mr. bulk is Erwin.'' She ends it by pointing at herself. ''I'm Hange, by the way. Sometimes I'm a guy, sometimes a girl. I hope that's okay.''

Eren stares, blinking his eyes. ''Fine by me,'' he shrugs quickly, agrees perhaps a bit too quickly. Hange only grins.

The name round is too quick for Eren to put a face on all the names, but he nods nonetheless, eyes wide as he swallows and looks down at his food. It is unlike him to be this timid or nervous, but the fact that these people can associate with Levi means they must be just as intimidating as the latter.

He tenses when he notices how Levi sits next to him, his clothed thigh brushing against Eren's bare one considering how close they sit. Strangely enough, Eren's nervousness dies down a little after a while, only to arise when Levi again sneaks a hand around Eren's waist to press a hand against his lower back, somewhat comfortingly.

The gesture is warm and a little too comfortable for Eren, sending a thrill coursing down to his knees when he feels how Levi even massages him a bit, fingertips skirting softly into the shirt underneath the blazer.

He wants to tell Levi to stop playing with him, but this is all just a part of the plan after all.

He is thrown out of the haze when Olou, who sits next to him, begins to splutter about acing a math test yesterday. ''You got lower points than I did,'' the auburn haired girl retorts, smiling warmly. ''That was only one point, Petra… one point,'' Olou grumbles, shrieking as his jaw goes slack and he brings a hand up to his face. ''Shit, I bit my tongue,'' he whines, and Petra sighs loudly. Strips of strange comments and peculiar subjects follow suit from there.

Levi looks like he is ready to plan a funeral, Hange laughs obnoxiously loud and Erwin looks too intense, and everyone else do their own thing.

Eren squints his eyes, looking around.

He thinks that they are all more relaxed, if not more down to earth than what he had first thought.

For looking so mature with this unctuous atmosphere surrounding them, they act like an itinerant runaway show when first one meddles with them.

Eren swallows a bite of his muffin and nearly gets it in the wrong pipe as he feels a warm breath against his earlobe. ''Were you scared?'' Levi asks, leaning in to whisper into Eren's ear, followed by a low unusual grin. Eren bites the inside of his cheek, considering what to say. He forgot he is sitting next to a shark who can smell fear from a miles distance.

He fidgets a bit, shrugging again. ''I was just surprised, that's all,'' he mumbles, not looking back at the other despite wanting to, trying to dull the embarrassment he feels.

This is all a part of the image. Even the fingers massaging knots out of Eren's back beneath his blazer.

Eren expects the hand to go away after lunch.

It does not.

Instead, it stays there even in the literature hour too. He says nothing about it, and he is not sure why.

Something about it feels icky, but then again not really. He is seventeen, soon eighteen, and has the hormonal drive of someone manic. Fingers belonging to his longtime celebrity crush are lingering with butterfly-light touches on his knee, sometimes heaving close to his inner thigh. It is straining, but nobody except a few observant students notice anything, because Levi's face is as expressionless as always – as if touching people inappropriately underneath the table is just something he does every now and then.

The quarrel between them is unchanging, and as they have to analyze a text given to the class, Eren has to bite his tongue between 'I hate you's in order not to breathe too heavily from the arousal climbing up his thighs, rousing in his gut.

Eren thinks that this is not what he agreed to, but he is well aware that if he did not want the hand there, he could have smacked it away a half hour ago.

He wonders if it is appropriate if he has a friend- no, enemies with benefits relationship with Levi, just for a moment.

It will only dig the grave way deeper than it was before, but at this point, he thinks he might as well try to get more advantages from the deal than just the possibility to interrogate Levi. Even if that advantage might turn into disservice in the longer term.

The bell rings, and he only has sport left for today, and just enough free time before the next class to take a long nap.

* * *

><p>Yet of course, he does not get to nap. Instead, he is guided to one of the private toilets and pushed into the room with a hand between his shoulder blades, only to be turned around when Levi grabs his wrist and brings him close after the door is shut and locked.<p>

''Yes or no?'' Levi asks - voice dripped in something ragged that makes the insides of Eren's twinge pleasantly.

Eren does not need to think twice to know what Levi refers to, but his eyes dart downwards anyway as he gets a view of the obvious erection curving down one thigh in Levi's black jeans, now that there are no onlookers.

Eren is sure he should know better already, but apparently he does not, because he nods and contributes with a faint, ragged ''yes'', just loud enough for Levi to hear him.

His sight is sent twirling when Levi wraps his arms around his waist again, although this time the large palms slide down to his ass and underneath he skirt, hooking around the underside of his thighs as he lifts Eren off the ground.

In reflex, Eren wraps his legs around Levi's wrest to hold on, his breath short when he feels his erection chafe through the skirt and against the metal of Levi's leather belt.

Levi presses Eren's back against the tiled wall, and for a moment, they just stand there and look into each other's eyes, nose tips nearly touching. That is, until they meet in a messy, open-mouthed kiss, with the both of them hotly breathing into each other's mouths, much like at the party.

Eren cannot help the moan that rips the seams of his throat and leaves his mouth in a rush, all the while his arms are thrown around Levi's neck, bringing him as close as possible. He barely notices that Levi is supporting his weight with only one hand, using the wall and pressure as the secondary source while he unbuckles his own belt expertly with one hand.

A faint clank and the sound of a zipper being tugged down resounds in the room, followed by the rustling of Levi's hand disappearing underneath Eren's skirt to grab the front of the panties.

Eren actually yelps when he feels the strain of elastic bands digging into his skin, along with hearing the sound of his panties being ripped apart as Levi discards them.

The brunet barely gets to react though, because Levi kisses him again, and soon enough he feels a hand along with something else align against his arousal. Levi lowers him a little down the wall so that their pelvises are on the same level, and Eren moans are light and desperate when Levi begins to stroke the both of their cocks with one hand.

Is somewhat sloppy and desperate, and Eren does not want to know how much Levi's legs must be straining from the weight and motions, but despite it being considering a wrongdoing to him, it just feels so good.

He thrusts his cock into Levi's hand eagerly and bucks in his back so that it nearly leaves the wall, face now buried in the crook of Levi's throat. He keeps chanting Levi's name as he presses closer, and Levi's mouth rests against Eren's ear so that the latter can hear every time his breath hitches, speeds up or slows down.

When they are done, the room is left in eerie silence and a strange atmosphere. Eren's legs are buckling beneath him even though all he had to do was to cling to Levi's waist with his thighs. The both of them are breathing hard. Eren slumps down the wall, legs spread as he closes his eyes for some seconds. Levi has the audacity to clean the both of them off from semen, though luckily most of it was caught in Levi's hand anyway.

Levi runs his hands through his hair after he has washed them, now standing somewhat nonchalantly as he tongues the inside of his cheek.

''Get up,'' he says, again with no emotion, as he takes a hold of Eren's bicep and hauls him up. Eren staggers a little but gives the other a begrudging glare. ''You ripped my panties,'' he says, pointing at the shredded fabric now lying in the trashcan.

Levi barely blinks. He shrugs. ''I said nothing about being gentle.''

Eren's cheeks heat up and tries to collect himself, to distinguish the anger, the lust and the strange excitement he feels.

''It was good. See you,'' Levi says, just like that.

He unlocks the door and walks out, and Eren watches his back as he leaves.

Eren tells himself he should not feel dejected in the first place, because walking into this deal is an event with no emotions but only actions anyway.

He walks out with his hands flattening his skirt, maddeningly aware of the breeze flying up his skirt now that he wears no panties. What he does not expect to see is for some students stand out there in the hall, eyes on Eren.

They must have seen Levi walk out too, and Eren knows that this is only the beginning.


End file.
